Shimla district authorities are preparing for a substantial influx of visitors in the lead-up to Christmas and the year-end festivities in Himachal Pradesh. With expectations of more than one lakh tourist vehicles arriving in the hill town during the last week of December, the Shimla City Mayor has organized the inaugural winter carnival. The event aims to attract tourists to revel in the year-end festivities, showcasing the rich traditions and culture of Himachal Pradesh.
Tourists have already begun arriving in anticipation of snowfall in the picturesque locales as the year concludes. Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi noted, "The police anticipate over one lakh tourist vehicles entering the hill town in the last week of this year."
"As the seasons change in Shimla, the police are gearing up for various challenges. The city experiences a surge in the number of vehicles, particularly on weekends. We will act as facilitators for tourists, hospitality businesses, and other stakeholders. The city has been divided into five sectors, each assigned a rescue team to address challenges posed by snow-covered roads during winter," added Gandhi.
The influx of tourist vehicles has seen a notable increase, particularly at the Shogi Barrier entrance. SP Gandhi mentioned, "While the city usually sees around 5,000 to 6,000 vehicles daily, this number has risen to 12,000 to 13,000 ahead of the year-end festivities. We anticipate this number to further rise to 20,000 around Christmas and New Year."
Week-long winter carnival set to commence on Christmas Day
The eagerly awaited week-long winter carnival is set to commence on Christmas Day, December 25, with the hope of revitalizing tourism businesses in Shimla. The mayor aims to convey a message of clean and green tourism through the carnival's festivities.
Mayor Surinder Chauhan shared, "We are organizing a winter carnival for the first time in Shimla, featuring traditional folk dance forms and musical instruments. The chief minister will inaugurate the carnival on December 25, where 500 women will perform a traditional folk dance."
Tourists are relishing the cold weather conditions
Despite the absence of snowfall, tourists are relishing the cold weather conditions in the city. Ajay Sinha, a visitor from Delhi, expressed, "There's a huge tourist rush. Although we were expecting some snowfall, the biting cold and pleasant weather are enjoyable. We plan to visit Shimla again in January, scheduling our travel based on the weather forecast to experience the anticipated snowfall next time."
Parvinder, a tourist from Punjab, shared, "The experience so far has been excellent. While I hoped for some snowfall, the cold weather makes Shimla an ideal tourism destination in December."
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