It's time for plum cakes, hot chocolates, smell of cinnamon, lights, towns decked up in red and white and 'Secret Santas' as India celebrates Christmas with full grandeur amid the countdown for New Year ticking simultaneously.
Apart from the festive cheer, Christmas and New Year this time have brought the gift of long weekend with themselves, which has led to a massive rush of public at malls, eateries and a heavy tourist influx to popular hubs across the country.
From Manali and Shimla in North India's Himachal Pradesh to Bengaluru in down South, roads have been jam-packed as people head out to spend their long weekends.
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Long Weekend Traffic Snarls
1. Himachal's Shimla, Manali See Massive Traffic Jam
Popular hill towns Shimla and Manali in Himchal Pradesh and their nearby areas have been witnessing a heavy footfall of tourists due to the long weekend.
Visuals on social media show long queues of cars at key points such as the Atal Tunnel in Manali, with congestion on Manali-Vashisth Chowk route, Potato Ground to Rangadi, and Solang Nala to Atal Tunnel. Traffic was severly hit in Kasol, Jari and also on the highway connecting Shimla and Shoghi.
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Rohtang and Sissu areas, which received snowfall on Saturday, also saw a huge influx of touristsm with more footfall expected in the coming days as the weather is predicted to remain dry until December 28.
According to Surender Pal, Head of the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, said there will be no white Christmas.
"There will be no white Christmas and the weather will remain dry between December 24 and December 28, 2023. However, light rainfall or snowfall is expected at isolated places between December 29 and 30. Generally speaking, Himachal can witness snowfall or rainfall during the end of December or the first week of January,” India Today quoted Pal as saying.
Lahual and Spiti police on Monday carried out drone surveillance at ATR North portal in Sissu in view of the huge number of tourists on the occasion of Christmas and ahead of New Year. WATCH BELOW:
2. Bengaluru: Vehicles Stuck for 3 Hours on Christmas Eve
I-T hub of India, Karnataka's Bengaluru, also saw packed roads as residents headed out to celebrate Christmas eve and many on way to the airport to go back to their hometowns in the holidays getting stuck in traffic for hours.
Apart from Bellari Road (Airport Road) in North Bengaluru being choked, crowds also thronged Phoenix Mall of Asia near Yelahanka on Saturday, Christmas Eve.
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Roads leading to the Mall of Asia were packed with vehicles from 2pm, prompting the traffic police to issue an advisory at 6pm. "Due to a huge influx of visitors to the Mall of Asia, there is traffic congestion on the Bellary service road leading up to the mall. Parking is full. Commuters are advised to plan accordingly," the advisory stated.
3. Mumbai-Pune Expressway Also Packed
Chaotic scenes were also witnessed on Mumbai-Pune expressway in Maharashtra where tourist movement led to
8-km long traffic on, with many vehicles seen with their bonnets open due to overheating issues.
Netizens took to microblogging platform X and posted cisuals of the traffic on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, showing unending queues of cars.
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"Cars breakdown on the Mumbai-Pune expressway due to burning clutch plates this afternoon... Request to all Punekars, Mumbaikars, prefer public transport, avoid unnecessary travelling on this route. This will worsen the traffic even more, tomorrow," a post by an account on X called Mumbai Rains read on Saturday, December 24.
4. Delhi: Traffic Advisory Issued
With heavy traffic expected on roads in Delhi, Traffic Police has issued an advisory, including special arrangements on several routes near the churches in city.
As per the Delhi Traffic Police advisory, special arrangements will be effective on routes near these churches:
-Sacred Heart cathedral, Gol Dak Khana
-Saint Thomas Church (Mandir Marg)
-Free Church, 10, Sansad Marg
-Cathedral Church, in front of Gate No. 38, Rashtrapati Bhawan
-Church Carmel Convent School, Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri
-St. Martin's Church, Delhi Cantt.
-St. Thomas Church, Sector-2, R.K. Puram
-St. Mary Knanaya Church, D-3 Mall Road, Vasant Kunj
-United Free Church, Kishangarh near Pocket A, Sector A, Vasant Kunj
-The Pentecostal Mission, Vasant Kunj
-Independent Church of India, Mahipalpur Extension
-FOLJ Church, Faith Arena, near Kela Godam, Rangpuri Extension
-St. Alphonsa s Church, 9, Green Avenue Lane, Vasant Kunj
