Traffic congestion, dust and mud add to tourist woes in McLeodganj during peak season

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Dharamashala, May 29

As the summer tourist season peaks in McLeodganj, visitors and local residents are facing increasing difficulties due to damaged roads and persistent traffic congestion. A major concern remains the road near Karmu Bend on the Khada Danda route to McLeodganj, where a damaged stretch has forced authorities to implement a one-way traffic system, resulting in frequent bottlenecks and long vehicle queues.

The situation has become more challenging as dust clouds rise during dry weather, while rainfall turns the damaged section into a muddy stretch, causing vehicles to get stuck and leading to regular traffic jams. The problem continues to affect both tourists and local commuters at a time when visitor numbers are already high due to the summer vacation season and the recent IPL matches held in Dharamshala.

The district administration has stated that roads damaged during the monsoon are being restored and that the Public Works Department has assured early repair of affected stretches. While some improvement has been made on parts of the Dharamshala to McLeodganj route, deteriorated road conditions near Kotwali Bazaar and Karmu Bend continue to create inconvenience.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa said the Dharamshala-McLeodganj road suffered extensive damage due to rains, and restoring it would take considerable time. He said the bypass road has already been repaired, while damaged portions of the Khada Danda route have been restored at two locations. One remaining damaged section is currently operating with one-way traffic and will be fully repaired soon.

According to officials, retaining wall work has already been completed on the affected Karmu Bend stretch, while concrete work is expected to be finished during June. Restoration work is also underway on the Kotwali Bazaar to McLeodganj road and on the damaged section between Shaheed Smarak and Cheelgadi, where repair work is being carried out by the concerned authorities.