MANALI: Amid an intense heatwave sweeping several parts of the country, a surge of tourists heading to Himachal Pradesh's hill station Manali led to severe traffic congestion on Saturday night, with commuters stranded for hours as movement slowed sharply on key routes.
According to news agency ANI, the sudden weekend rush caused long snarls in and around the popular tourist destination, with vehicles inching forward late into the night.
A tourist caught in the jam described the ordeal, saying, "We have been stuck here for one hour. We are having a lot of trouble; we are moving forward very slowly. Traffic should be controlled."
The heavy congestion led to significant inconvenience for travellers, many of whom were seen stuck in long queues of vehicles as they attempted to reach or exit the hill town during peak tourist flow.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by hill stations during peak seasons, especially when extreme weather conditions drive more visitors to cooler destinations. Local authorities have been urged to improve traffic management to prevent such occurrences in the future.
