After 2 feet of snow in Kufri, authorities urge tourists to skip Shimla city roads, use bypass instead
Meanwhile, hoteliers in Shimla and adjoining tourist hotspots have raised concerns over inadequate civic preparedness, particularly power supply and internal road connectivity.
Officials said Kufri received over 2 feet of snowfall, around 66 cm, making it a major attraction for tourists
(Express photo) Tourist inflow to Shimla and adjoining high-altitude destinations witnessed an unexpected surge a day after light to moderate snowfall was recorded across the state capital and higher reaches on Saturday. It is currently partially cloudy in Shimla.
The fresh spell of snow, particularly in Kufri and nearby areas, triggered a rush of visitors, especially from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, turning the weekend into a busy one for the tourism industry.
Officials said Kufri received over 2 feet of snowfall, around 66 cm, making it a major attraction for tourists. Shimla received 27 cm of snowfall, Manali 45.8 cm. The highest snowfall was 105 cm at Kothi in Kinnaur district.
However, authorities cautioned motorists travelling from the Chandigarh side towards Kufri to avoid entering Shimla city due to traffic congestion and narrow internal roads. Instead, they were advised to use the Shimla bypass route via New-ISBT Tutikandi to reach Kufri directly.
The highest snowfall was 105 cm at Kothi in Kinnaur district.(Express photo)
Anand Dhaiya, Project Director, NHAI Kalka–Shimla section, said National Highway-5 remained operational and smooth despite the snowfall. “So far, no disturbance has been reported on NH-5. However, the Dhalli–Bhattakuffar old Shimla road was temporarily blocked by the state traffic police following heavy snowfall yesterday. Today, weather conditions over Shimla city are clear,” he said.
Meanwhile, hoteliers expressed optimism over a sharp rise in occupancy levels. Stakeholders in the tourism sector said hotel occupancy in Shimla is expected to touch 70 to 80 per cent owing to the weekend rush following the snowfall.
However, while welcoming the rise in tourist footfall, hoteliers raised concerns over inadequate civic preparedness, particularly power supply and internal road connectivity.
Mohinder Seth, president of the Shimla Hotels and Tourism Stakeholders’ Association, said overall hotel, guest house, and rest house occupancy in Shimla is expected to reach nearly 80 per cent.
“Footfall has increased significantly, but amenities remain a serious concern. There was prolonged electricity disruption since yesterday morning. I had to spend nearly Rs 10,000 on diesel to operate generators to ensure an uninterrupted power supply for tourists staying in my hotel,” Seth said.
He added that such situations demand better planning by the administration, especially during peak winter tourism periods when snowfall is anticipated. Hoteliers stressed that uninterrupted electricity, timely snow clearance, and road connectivity are crucial to ensuring a positive experience for tourists and sustaining Shimla’s reputation as a premier winter destination
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