Record 29L tourists visit Lahaul this year

Dipender Manta

Mandi, December 26

After the opening of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway, the Lahaul valley has emerged as one of the favourite tourist destinations of the state.

In numbers

• 12.49 lakh vehicles entered and exited the Lahaul valley via the Atal Tunnel this year
• Around 29.11 lakh domestic and 7,096 foreign tourists visited the valley

Data accessed by The Tribune from the Police Department reveals that 29.18 lakh tourists have visited the Lahaul valley via the Atal Tunnel so far this year, which is quite a high number as compared to the figure of the previous year. Last year, 26 lakh tourists visited the Lahaul valley.

According to the Superintendent of Police (SP), Lahaul and Spiti, Mayank Chaudhary, 12.49 lakh vehicles entered and exited the Lahaul valley via the Atal Tunnel this year, in which 29.18 lakh tourists visited the valley. The SP said according to data, 5.99 lakh vehicles entered the Lahaul valley via the Atal Tunnel from Manali, while 6.5 lakh vehicles moved out of the valley towards Manali via the tunnel this year. He said that around 29.11 lakh domestic and 7,096 foreign tourists visited the valley.

“In the last three days, a significant surge was observed in the tourist influx into the valley. Yesterday, over 16,000 vehicles entered the Lahaul valley, in which around 85,000 tourists visited the valley. It is expected that the tourist rush will continue till the New Year’s eve,” he said.

He said this year, 22 rescue operations were led by the police and district administration of Lahaul and Spiti, in which 3,100 tourists and other people were rescued by the police.

“Due to the heavy rush of vehicles towards the valley, the police have been struggling to manage the traffic. The police have been conducting surveillance through drones and CCTV cameras in the region. The tourists are advised to follow the traffic rules strictly or get ready to face action. Tourists are welcomed here but it is also their responsibility to not throw litter waste here and there,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, the Mall Road in Manali remained abuzz with tourist activities on the occasion of Christmas.

Tourist challaned for driving SUV on riverbed

Mandi: The police on Tuesday issued a challan of Rs 3,500 to the owner of a tourist vehicle for violating a traffic norm in Lahaul and Spiti district. A video of a tourist driving an SUV (Thar) through the Chandra river in Lahaul-Spiti, in a bid to escape a traffic jam, had gone viral on social media yesterday.

The tourist, who was driving his vehicle through the river amid festivities, drew criticism from locals.

Lahaul and Spiti SP Mayank Chaudhary said the vehicle was traced by the police today and a fine of Rs 3,500 was imposed under the Motor Vehicles Act to ensure that no one committed such an offence in the future.

He said major traffic jams occurred at multiple points along the Mandi-Manali-Lahaul route. Numerous videos circulating on social media depict an extensive line-up of vehicles on roads. TNS