Manali, a tourist town nestled in the heart of Himachal Pradesh, has long been a crown jewel of Indian tourism. Yet, beneath its postcard perfect pine forests and snow-dusted peaks lies a troubling paradox. While the number of visitors to the Kullu-Manali region has doubled from around 15 lakh in 2004 to nearly 30 lakh every year today, the pace of infrastructure development has remained alarmingly slow.
The town witnesses an arrival of around 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles every day, including 2,500 to 3,500 vehicles from other states, during peak tourist season. Even during lean periods, around 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles, including from other states, arrive here every day. As the summer season of 2026 begins, the picturesque town is already choking with relentless traffic jams, inadequate parking and a lack of basic public amenities.
Major routes such as the Old Manali Road, Hadimba Road, Log Huts Road, Kanyal Road and the Club House Road have become virtual parking lots. A visitor had recently expressed his frustration saying, “It isn’t even a holiday or weekend, yet the Old Manali Road is jammed with traffic. One can only imagine how chaotic it gets during the peak tourist season when Manali is flooded with visitors.” He also rued the lack of adequate police deployment to regulate traffic. Traffic police personnel are generally not deployed to tourist hotspots, leading to gridlocks. Popular tourist spots like the Rohtang Pass, Solang Nala, Atal Tunnel and Naggar are overcrowded even during moderate tourist seasons – hours’ long snarls have become the new norm. A sudden influx of vehicles to the Rohtang Pass leads to long jams for hours, making stranded commuters outraged.
The absence of public utilities, toilets, rest areas, streetlights, compounded by frequent power outages, only adds to the distress of residents and visitors alike. Similar complaints have been received earlier, painting a consistent picture of official neglect. Officials argue that funds are used for improving roads and infrastructure but given the scale of the gridlocks, these efforts are not keeping pace with the growing number of cars.
The Atal Tunnel since its inauguration on October 3, 2020, has become a significant tourist attraction. However, it has funnelled lakhs of vehicles every year towards the Lahaul valley, overwhelming the region’s narrow roads. Many tourists halt at the South Portal of the Atal Tunnel at Dhundi, yet there is no arrangement for food, drinks or adequate parking from Solang Nala to the tunnel entrance. Consequently, visitors are forced to park their vehicles haphazardly on the roadside. The Tourism Department received approval for the construction of a dedicated parking area and a cafeteria years ago but the matter remains only on paper.
The tourism green tax, imposed on vehicles from other states entering Manali since 2004, has generated a substantial Rs. 89.73 crore till last year. The current charges are Rs 100 for two-wheelers, Rs 200 for light motor vehicles, Rs 300 for medium vehicles and Rs 500 for heavy vehicles. The Manali Tourism Development Council, under the chairmanship of the Kullu Deputy Commissioner, manage the funds. According to official figures, more than 90 per cent of this amount has been spent on development works, mostly on roads.
Specific projects include the Kullu-Manali Left Bank bypass (Rs 17 lakh), sewerage (Rs 14 lakh), garbage dumping site at Rangri (Rs 20 lakh) and the beautification of the green tax barrier at the Aloo Ground. Around Rs 15 crore has been allocated for environmental initiatives, including an eco-friendly market at Marhi (Rs 7.53 crore) and a Nature Park at Gulaba (Rs 1.63 crore). The Forest Department has utilised Rs 13.23 crore for afforestation, nurseries and tourist infrastructure at Rohtang and Marhi.
However, still visible improvements are underwhelming. Local resident Harish alleges that the condition of link roads to tourist spots has remained almost unchanged for decades. People have developed most of the activities and attractions around Manali with minimal government support. This sentiment is widely echoed across the valley.
In recent months, the infrastructure woes in Manali have compounded due to natural calamities. Heavy snowfall, flash floods and landslides frequently leave tourists stranded. The hospitality industry is also reeling. A devastating monsoon in 2025 washed away critical road sections, leading to a lean tourist season. By early 2026, only temporary repairs had been done, raising fears that future floods could cut off the valley entirely.