Long weekend surge snarls traffic in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
India
If you were planning a quick getaway to the hills this long weekend, you weren't alone. A surge of tourists and pilgrims hit the roads, leading to huge traffic jams in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The usually breezy Chandigarh-Shimla Highway turned into a slow crawl, with what should be a three-and-a-half to four-hour drive stretching into hours of waiting.
Joshimath-Marwari 7-km stretch slowed by pilgrims
Travelers heading to Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib had it especially tough.
A seven-kilometer stretch from Joshimath to Marwari took up to three hours because of overlapping pilgrimages and religious events.
With cars barely moving, safety near the edge of the road became a real concern.