Tourists were stranded for hours on roads leading to Himachal Pradesh’s tourist hotspot, Manali, after heavy snowfall blanketed the region. Among those affected were thousands of tourists who were drawn to Manali by the promise of picturesque white snowscapes, but forgot to take into account the infrastructural issues caused by the influx.
The situation worsened due to the Republic Day long weekend, with the heavy tourist inflow triggering traffic jams stretching up to 15 km near Manali.
Tourists stranded in Manali
A video going viral online shows dozens of tourists walking on the road, suitcases in hand. The slippery roads caused at least one person to fall, the video shows. It has sparked concerns about safety and over-tourism in the region.
The video, taken in the early hours of January 25, Sunday, explained that the visitors had been walking for 12 hours to reach Manali. It was posted on Instagram by a travel agency called Aish Tour.
{{/usCountry}}The video, taken in the early hours of January 25, Sunday, explained that the visitors had been walking for 12 hours to reach Manali. It was posted on Instagram by a travel agency called Aish Tour.
{{/usCountry}}“Kindly do not travel to Manali without any update on road clearance,” the agency advised.
Another video shared by news agency PTI shows cars standing still on snow-covered roads. “Heavy snowfall blankets roads in Manali, leading to traffic congestion and disruption of daily life. Several roads remain blocked as residents and tourists face difficulties,” the caption said.
Traffic snarls in Manali
Over 600 tourists were stranded near Manali, many of whom spent the night inside their vehicles after traffic came to a standstill.
“We remained stuck in the traffic jam for more than three hours and then decided to walk our way to Manali, covering nearly 7 km,” said Akshay, a tourist from Delhi. Another tourist, Trisha, said, “We had to spend the night in our vehicle and survived on Maggi as we were carrying our own portable cylinder.”
Tourists also alleged overcharging by private taxi operators amid suspension of public transport. “Taxi owners are asking ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for a 20-km journey between Manali and Patlikuhal,” said Lakshit, another tourist from Delhi.