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Delhi residents begin to rush to hills to breathe fresh air
Amidst increasing air pollution levels in New Delhi, scores of tourists from the national capital and its nearby areas are thronging the hill towns to breathe fresh
Amidst increasing air pollution levels in New Delhi, scores of tourists from the national capital and its nearby areas are thronging the hill towns to breathe fresh air.
The hotel occupancy in Shimla has gone up in last one week. In the tourist towns of Manali and Shimla, the hotel occupancy has increased from 15% to 60% in last three days.
Usually the state witnesses lean tourist season after Diwali festivities. It is the time when visitors from West Bengal, Gujarat and North eastern states visit tourist destination in the hill state.
Shimla Hotelier and Restaurateurs Association president Sanjay Sood said, “There has been a sudden jump in the hotel occupancy. More tourists are visiting Shimla from the national capital and its nearby areas. Majority of the tourists say that they want a break from suffocating environment in Delhi.”
The hospitality industry is expecting a rise in footfall of tourist in next few days.
“We expect more tourists from the national capital region (NCR) during the weekend,” said Sood.
Suresh Dogra, a tour operator on the Mall Road, Shimla said, “We have been getting more queries for booking for the last five days.”
Mukul Sharma, a Delhi resident, who came to Shimla for five days and has now extended his stay, said, “One can breathe freely in the town. Shimla has good air quality.”
“I have taken a leave from my office and extended leave of my children from school,” he said.
“Actually plans are afoot to extend stay till the worst air quality gets better in Delhi,” he said.
Another tourist from Delhi, Swati Ganguly, said she came to Shimla five days ago. “My entire family is feeling much better now, we are hoping that by time we go back to Delhi, the quality gets better,” she said.
Principal scientific officer, HP State Pollution Control Board, Manoj Chauhan, said, “The air quality in the tourist destinations in Himachal is far better than that in Delhi and plains.”
Meanwhile, the tourist rush has also increased in Manali. Hotel occupancy in the Manali town, which was between 15% and 20% in October, has now increased to 40%.
Chauhan said, “The tourist rush is gradually increasing in Manali. Mostly the tourists are domestic. There are more tour packages,” he said, adding that tourist rush is likely to increase in coming days.
“Rohtang pass is witnessing intermittent snow spell, it will attract more tourist now,” he said.
The metrological office in Shimla has predicted western disturbances that is likely to bring more snow fall in the high altitude areas of the state . The air quality index in Shimla was recorded 35.9 on November 3, while on Wednesday, it was 41.7 in Shimla and 48.98 in Manali.
