People in Delhi-NCR, troubled by the smog, are heading to the mountains, resulting in huge crowds of tourists in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

People troubled by rising pollution and smog in the plains, including the capital Delhi, are heading to the mountains. Tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are witnessing a surge in visitors.

In Himachal Pradesh, 35,000 to 50,000 tourists are arriving on weekdays. This number can reach up to 70,000 during weekends. The approaching winter holidays and Christmas are also considered contributing factors.

Tourists arriving in Nainital, Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand, a large number of people are visiting Nainital and Mussoorie, along with other tourist destinations such as Dhanaulti, Auli, Chakrata, Ranikhet, Kausani, Mukteshwar, Naukuchiatal, etc. This number is expected to increase during the weekend. People have already made bookings in hotels, resorts, and homestays.

In Himachal Pradesh, a large number of people are arriving at major tourist destinations, including Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, and Chamba. The number of vehicles arriving in Shimla via Parwanoo is reaching up to 4,500 every day. This number increases to 5,500 during the weekend.

Hotel occupancy in Shimla is 20 to 30 percent.

A week ago, about 3,000 tourist vehicles were arriving in Shimla. Hotel occupancy in Shimla is 20 to 30 percent. In the major tourist destination of Kullu-Manali, 1800 tourist vehicles arrived in Manali on Thursday. ​​Since December 1st, 14,940 such vehicles have arrived in the Kullu district.

Hotel occupancy in Manali is 45 to 50 percent. In Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj, hotel occupancy has been between 20 and 30 percent for the last three days. Occupancy in Kasauli was up to 40 percent.

Discounts available on hotel bookings

Bookings in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation hotels, as well as private hotels and homestays, have started to increase. A 20 to 40 percent discount is being offered on room bookings at private hotels through the Tourism Development Corporation. This offer is valid until December 20th. This facility will not be available from December 21st to January 5th due to Christmas and the New Year.

Drought affects air quality. Baddi records very poor air quality.

The impact of the nearly three-month-long drought and low humidity levels in the state is being seen on the Air Quality Index (AQI) in some areas. This is the first time that air quality in Baddi, the state's industrial area, has been very poor for four days in December, with readings ranging from 302 to 342. In Shimla, the AQI remained between 20 and 50 for five days, while on the remaining days it was above 50.

In previous years, the AQI in Shimla remained below 50 on most days. Apart from Shimla, the AQI levels in Manali, Dharamshala, Sundernagar, and Damtal are better than last year. The state received rainfall at the beginning of October. Since then, there has been no rainfall in November and December. The situation remains the same in December so far.

Dehradun's air quality is extremely poor.

While there is dense fog in the plains districts, frost and biting cold have increased difficulties in the hilly areas. Rising air pollution in Dehradun is making the situation even more serious. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for dense fog in the plains of Uttarakhand.

Due to dense fog, visibility is likely to be low during the morning and late-night hours. Air quality in Dehradun also remains poor. The AQI has consistently remained around 300. On Thursday, the AQI in Dehradun was recorded at 280, while on Wednesday it was recorded at 322. Air quality in Dehradun and the surrounding areas has been continuously deteriorating for the past week.