Around 8,000 tourists vehicles sent back from Mussoorie, Nainital

In a bid to control the influx of tourists and prevent overcrowding, the Uttarakhand government sent back around 8,000 tourist vehicles trying to enter Mussoorie and Nainital over the weekend. The state's police has also set up additional border check posts to monitor the flow of tourists into the state.

As a result of tightening of Covid protocols and document requirements by the state government, tourists will have to carry negative RT-PCR tests not older than 72 hours, prior hotel bookings and have registration done on the online Dehradun Smart City portal before visiting popular hill stations Mussoorie and Nainital.

The regional administration in Mussoorie is also playing recorded messages asking people to adopt Covid appropriate behaviour. Those found flouting basic Covid-19 protocols at the hill stations are being fined. This comes as viral videos showed huge crowds of mask-less people bathing in Kempty Falls at the hill station.

On Saturday, a three-kilometre-long traffic jam was seen choking the streets of Mussoorie as thousands of people decided to enter the place to spend some leisure time. Uttarakhand Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Nilesh Anand Bharane also appealed to tourists to consider other popular destinations like Bhimtal, Ranikhet and Landsdowne so as to avoid overcrowding at select places.

Popular hill stations such as Shimla, Mussoorie, Kufri, Narkanda, Dalhousie and Manali are witnessing tourist influx in large numbers as people from plains are looking to get rid of the scorching heat. A dip in Covid cases in the country has also contributed to this sudden tourist influx at hill stations.