Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) [India], October 3 (ANI): With the long weekend underway and the Char Dham Yatra returning to normal, the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh witnessed a heavy influx of tourists and pilgrims, resulting in prolonged traffic jams across several key routes on Saturday.
The increased footfall followed the October 2 government holiday on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday still ahead, as tourists made the most of the extended break by heading to hill stations.
The volume of vehicles on the city roads increased steadily throughout the day, with traffic movement severely affected from Rishikesh to Natraj, Shyampur, Muni Ki Reti and Tapovan. A large number of tourists arriving in private vehicles added to the pressure on the roads, leading to long queues and slow movement at several points.
Traffic congestion began building up from the morning on Haridwar Road, Dehradun Road, the Lakshman Jhula route and Chandrabhaga Bridge. The traffic pressure continued through the afternoon, with police and traffic personnel working throughout the day to regulate the movement of vehicles and clear the congestion.
The prolonged traffic jams caused considerable inconvenience to locals as well as tourists and pilgrims travelling through the town. People remained stuck on the roads amid scorching heat, making the journey more difficult.
Rudraprayag Police said that parking lots in Sitapur and Sonprayag were full due to the weekend rush, as the number of devotees visiting Kedarnath Dham increased.
https://x.com/RudraprayagPol/status/2106368522309996579
The weekend rush also resulted in a rise in pilgrim movement along the Char Dham routes.
https://x.com/RudraprayagPol/status/2106209962859045185
Rudraprayag Police said in a post on X that the number of devotees visiting Kedarnath Dham had increased significantly, with pilgrims seen standing in queues and making their way towards the shuttle service. (ANI)
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