The Dhalli–Sanjauli bypass on the outskirts of Shimla was blocked on Thursday afternoon after a landslide triggered by intermittent rainfall, even as police continue managing an intense summer tourist surge that has brought around 15 lakh vehicles into the city over the past 45 days.
A large amount of debris has accumulated on the road, resulting in traffic closure on both directions, and work is underway to clear the debris and make the road motorable, police said in a statement issued here.
Police advised commuters to avoid the bypass route for a while and plan their journeys through alternative routes, adding that travellers on this route may face inconvenience due to closure.
The Dhalli–Sanjauli bypass is an alternate route which connects Victory Tunnel with Dhalli without crossing Sanjauli. Dhalli is the gateway to upper Shimla, Kinnaur and the tourist resorts of Kufri and Narkanda besides Mashobra, Naldera and Tattapani towards Mandi.
Light to moderate rain was witnessed at several places across Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours, including Shimla, Jubberhatti, Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Kufri, Jot and Murari Devi, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Shimla received 3 mm of rain during this period.
The local weather department has predicted a wet spell in the state till June 24. The Shimla meteorological office has issued an alert for hail, thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph in parts of Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts for Friday, while warning of thunderstorm and gusts of 30–40 kmph across 10 districts, excluding Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, over the weekend.
On Thursday, Kukumseri recorded the lowest night temperature at 6.1 degrees Celsius, while Neri registered the highest daytime temperature in the state at 37.2 degrees Celsius.
Amid the weather disruption, Shimla Police said around 15 lakh vehicles entered the hill town between May 1 and June 15, prompting the deployment of a five-point traffic management strategy to deal with the heavy tourist influx.
"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.
The traffic management measures include deployment of additional force, interceptor vehicles and bike-borne personnel for regulation, monitoring by gazetted officers, mapping alternative routes and encouraging public transport and awareness campaigns.
He said managing the tourist influx is not a problem if internal bottlenecks are addressed.
Shimla city has been divided into five sectors, each assigned to a gazetted officer for monitoring traffic flow. The plan also includes 210 additional police personnel and home guards, along with volunteers, deployed across key points, including parking areas to regulate entry and exit.
The number of bike-borne traffic personnel has been increased to 32, while interceptor vehicles are being used to enforce traffic rules and act quickly against violations. Three cranes have been stationed across the city to handle breakdowns, which officials said often cause major congestion on narrow roads like Cart Road.
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.
Private buses stopping at unauthorised points and idle parking have also been flagged as recurring issues affecting smooth flow.
Travellers heading towards Kufri, Narkanda, Theog and Kinnaur have been advised to use the Shoghi–Mehli bypass route, with around 800 vehicles currently being diverted daily to ease pressure within the city.
Shimla Police has also been circulating awareness videos on social media to guide tourists and residents on traffic rules and alternative routes. Authorities said the measures have helped prevent major congestion during the peak summer tourism season.
Last year, major traffic jams were reported on peripheral roads towards Shoghi, Kufri and Bilaspur, as well as within Shimla city, but officials said no such large-scale congestion has been recorded this year so far.
Police have urged tourists and residents to follow traffic rules, use designated parking areas and adhere to alternative routes to ensure smooth movement in the hill station.