Hill station rush: Police adopts 5-point traffic plan as 15 lakh vehicles enter Shimla in 45 days

ALabialize 15 lakh vehicles entered Shimla betwixt May 1 and June 15, with police force adopting a five-point strategy to tackle the summertime holidaymaker rush.The traffic management measures include deployment of additional force, strict surveillance, mapping alternative routes and encouraging public transport, a senior police official said.As schools close for summer holidays, tourists are making a beeline for destinations across Himachal Pradesh. The heavy influx has sparked frequent traffic jams along highways and link roads.According to hoteliers, average occupancy at tourist accommodations across Himachal Pradesh last week stood at 60-70 per cent during weekdays, rising to 80-90 per cent on the weekends."Over 15 lakh vehicles have entered Shimla in the past 45 days and police have come up with a five-point strategy to deal with the rush," Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh told PTI.He said managing the tourist influx is not a problem if internal bottlenecks are addressed.The traffic strategy involves deployment of additional force, interceptor vehicles and bike-borne personnel for traffic regulation, monitoring by gazetted officers, use of alternative roads, and encouraging public transport and awareness, Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said.He said malfunctioning heavy vehicles such as buses or trucks on the Cart Road, the lifeline of the hill town, are a major issue as they often cause long traffic jams. Bringing in a crane on a single-lane road to tow away an impaired vehicle is a time-consuming process, Singh said.He said three cranes have been stationed in different sectors to swiftly handle such situations.Five vehicles had broken down on Tuesday, he said, adding that private buses stopping at unauthorised points often impede traffic flow. Idle parking is another issue being dealt with.The traffic management strategy includes deployment of an additional 210 police personnel and home guards, besides volunteers. Traffic personnel have also been deployed at major parking sites to ensure smooth entry and exit of vehicles and prevent congestion.The number of bike-borne traffic personnel has been increased to 32 for rapid response to traffic-related situations. Interceptor vehicles are being operated in several areas to enforce traffic regulations and ensure swift action against violations.Shimla city has been divided into five sectors to ensure better monitoring and regulation of traffic. Each sector has been assigned to a gazetted officer whose primary responsibility is to ensure smooth movement of traffic within the respective sector.Moreover, tourists are being encouraged to use alternative routes to save time and reduce congestion within the city. Travellers heading towards Kufri, Narkanda, Theog and Kinnaur have been advised to use the Shoghi-Mehli bypass route.Use of the route reduces traffic pressure within the city and saves travel time, the official said, adding that at present, around 800 vehicles are being diverted through the bypass route every day.Shimla Police is also creating and sharing awareness and educational videos on social media platforms to provide traffic-related information to tourists and the public.To encourage use of public transport, large vehicles such as Travellers and other public transport have been permitted to operate on Cart Road to reduce reliance on private vehicles and ease congestion.Highlighting the efficacy of the plan, SP Singh said during the peak summer tourism season between April and June, there has no instance of major traffic congestion in the district -- especially in Shimla city and its outskirts.He said last year, huge traffic jams were reported at the peripheral roads towards Shoghi, Kufri and Bilaspur, besides the main Shimla city.Shimla Police, while extending a warm welcome to tourists, has appealed to visitors and residents alike to follow traffic regulations, use designated parking areas and adhere to alternative routes to ensure smooth traffic flow in the tourist hotspot.