Dehradun – A massive influx of tourists escaping the scorching summer heat in the plains turned Mussoorie into a packed destination over the second weekend of June, with hotels operating at near-full capacity and major roads witnessing heavy traffic congestion.
Popularly known as the ‘Queen of Hills’, Mussoorie remained crowded throughout Saturday and Sunday as thousands of visitors thronged Mall Road, local markets and nearby tourist attractions. The town remained lively till late at night, while hotels, guest houses and restaurants reported a sharp rise in occupancy.
The stretch from Library Chowk to Gandhi Chowk witnessed continuous crowds throughout the evening. Tourist hotspots including Kulri Market, Char Dukan and Lal Tibba also remained busy until late night, with visitors enjoying the pleasant weather and scenic surroundings.
Tourist attractions around Mussoorie, including Kempty Falls, Bhatta Falls, George Everest, Gun Hill, Company Garden, Surkanda Devi, Dhanaulti, Buranskhanda and the increasingly popular Dudhli-Bhadraj region, recorded heavy footfall throughout the day. Parking areas at several locations reached full capacity due to the continuous inflow of vehicles.
The weekend rush also brought significant relief to the local hospitality industry. Many hotels and guest houses reported 100 percent occupancy on Saturday, while room bookings remained between 80 and 90 percent even on Sunday evening.
Mussoorie Hotel Association President Sanjay Agrawal said the tourist season is progressing as expected and occupancy could increase further if favourable weather conditions continue over the coming weeks.
While the surge in visitors boosted business for hotels, restaurants, taxi operators, photographers, handicraft shops and food outlets, it also exposed persistent traffic management challenges.
Traffic remained slow-moving across several key junctions, including Kingcraig-Library Chowk, Zero Point, Ambedkar Chowk, Gandhi Chowk and Picture Palace. The Mussoorie-Dhanaulti road also witnessed long traffic queues, with vehicles crawling for extended stretches.
With school vacations underway and temperatures continuing to rise in the plains, tourism stakeholders expect visitor numbers to remain high in the coming weeks. The growing tourist influx is likely to keep pressure on the town’s traffic and parking infrastructure, posing a significant challenge for the administration during the peak summer season.
