Thousands of commuters, tourists and local residents faced severe inconvenience on Saturday as a massive traffic jam between Pandoh and Thalaut on the Mandi-Kullu National Highway persisted for several hours, disrupting travel to Kullu and Manali.
The traffic disruption began on Friday evening when a trailer carrying heavy machinery got stuck at a sharp curve near Jogni Mata Temple around 5 pm. The vehicle blocked traffic in both directions, leading to long queues on the highway.
Authorities took nearly four hours to remove the trailer and restore movement. However, despite the clearance of the stranded vehicle, congestion continued due to the heavy volume of traffic on the route.
The situation worsened on Saturday as the weekend holiday triggered a sharp increase in tourist vehicles heading towards Kullu-Manali. The ongoing four-lane construction work between Pandoh Bazaar and Thalaut, along with several narrow stretches on the highway, created major bottlenecks and slowed traffic movement.
The presence of heavy vehicles, Volvo buses and a large number of tourist cars further compounded the problem.
From Saturday morning, long queues of vehicles were witnessed in and around Pandoh Bazaar. According to motorists, traffic congestion extended nearly four kilometres beyond Pandoh, with commuters taking more than 30 minutes to cover a distance of barely two kilometres through the market area.
The prolonged traffic snarls not only inconvenienced travellers but also affected local businesses and daily commuters.
Residents and shopkeepers expressed concern over the recurring congestion in the area, particularly during weekends and the peak tourist season, and called for long-term traffic management measures.
Superintendent of Police, Mandi, Vinod Kumar said police personnel had been deployed at critical locations to regulate traffic and minimise delays.
“The unusually high volume of vehicles on the highway is the primary reason behind the congestion. Necessary measures are being taken to improve traffic flow and restore normal movement at the earliest,” he said. The SP was present at the site to monitor the situation and supervise traffic management efforts.
The recurring traffic bottlenecks on the Mandi-Kullu highway have once again highlighted the need for expediting four-lane construction work and strengthening traffic management on one of Himachal’s busiest tourist corridors.
