Summer traffic chokes Doon Valley, nearby towns as tourists pour in

Time of India

16 hours ago

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Dehradun: With the summer tourist influx rising sharply across the Doon Valley and surrounding regions, traffic congestion has brought several major routes to a near standstill.
Dehradun, along with Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Mussoorie, has been severely affected.
In the state capital, ongoing construction at Rashtrapati Ashiana on Rajpur Road—the key arterial route to Mussoorie—has narrowed the stretch into a bottleneck, resulting in traffic snarls at peak hours due to the construction of a foot overbridge. Sahastradhara is also seeing daily logjams, with vehicles backed up for hours.
Entry points to the city such as Mohand, Saharanpur Road, and Haridwar Bypass are similarly clogged.
"This fear regarding Ashiana was raised when the project was first introduced. Without long-term planning, we're unequipped to handle the surge, especially with the Delhi-Dehradun expressway nearing completion. To fix an existing problem, new projects are introduced that create more issues. Like the proposed Rs 6500 crore elevated roads, which are expected to address the increasing traffic volume, but will likely cause more ecological harm to the city.
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More roads mean more vehicles," said social activist Lokesh Ohri, who was stuck in a Rishikesh jam for over three hours this week.
Addressing Dehradun's traffic issues, SSP Ajai Singh said on Friday that multiple govt agencies are carrying out development work around Ashiana in preparation for the President's scheduled June 20 visit. "Traffic has been diverted from the Jakhan area, affecting Rajpur Road. Additional police have been deployed to manage the situation," he said.
In Haridwar, the Char Dham Yatra has led to traffic woes. Har-ki-Pauri is now avoided even by locals. A Delhi resident recently called it a 'nightmarish experience.'
"The number of vehicles is overwhelming, and most drivers show no traffic sense," said local resident Ashwini Manav. "Parking is grossly inadequate. It is difficult to understand how the city administration handles four to five crore kanwariyas visiting the city in ten to twelve days, as per their claim."
Efforts to reach SP (Traffic) Jitendra Mehra for comment were unsuccessful.
Mussoorie is faring no better. On June 5, a tourist reportedly died after being stuck in traffic and failing to reach a hospital in time. "The traffic is becoming a headache for both tourists and locals. It's not just about delays—what happens if a loved one needs urgent care?" asked resident Shalabh Garg.
Locals complain that despite yearly promises by the administration, as the season comes, "everything falls flat".
Inadequate parking, roadside encroachments, rental two-wheelers, and congestion on Mall Road during peak hours are worsening the problem. "The city needs a long-term traffic plan," one resident said.
Mussoorie station officer Santosh Kunwar said the police are working hard to resolve the issues. "During emergencies, people can call us, and we'll clear the way for ambulances," he said. Kunwar also urged the RTO to crack down on unregulated rental two-wheelers and halt new permits.
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