Shimla, June 30 -- Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday urged the Himachal government to adopt modern, digital systems to tackle traffic snarls and develop the state as the country's best tourist destination. Expressing the need to maximize the use of technology, the Union minister said, "Merely widening roads will not solve the issue, instead, the system needs to be improved through traffic discipline and modern technology. Traffic jams stretching 8 to 9 kilometers often occur in Shimla, while people also face hours-long delays in the Khadota (Dharamshala) and Kangra areas. Relying solely on the police to solve this problem is not feasible so a technology-based traffic management system is required." Thakur, who was in Shimla, paid obeisance at Jakhu temple and also participated in a tree plantation drive at Jakhu Hills, planting a Deodar Pine sapling as part of an environmental conservation initiative under the "Ek ped maa ke naam". With the ongoing tourist season, the hill state is reeling under traffic jams. The gravity of the traffic inflow can be gauged from the fact that 18 lakh vehicles entered Shimla during May and June. According to Shimla police, approximately 6 lakh of these were from outside Himachal. During tourist season, 12,000 to 15,000 vehicles, including 3,000 from other states, move through Manali daily. This excludes Volvo buses, which also contribute to slow traffic, taking about three hours daily to clear. This congestion creates long vehicle queues on roads leading to Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel. "Integrate hotels with digital platforms to record tourists' check-out times online in advance. Based on this data, schedules for vehicle entry and exit could be determined to reduce the simultaneous pressure of traffic. Additionally, tourists should be informed beforehand about parking availability and the traffic flow on specific routes at certain times," he said while talking to HT. Thakur, who is also a Member of Parliament, also stressed the need for strict enforcement of traffic rules. Thakur also reiterated that implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a clear commitment of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The BJP is committed to bringing the UCC across the country. Uttarakhand has taken the lead, and other states are also moving toward implementation." Praising the Centre, Thakur said the central government has consistently extended financial support to Himachal for infrastructure development, disaster recovery, healthcare, and capital investment. He said that under PMGSY, projects worth over Rs.2,247 crore, including 294 rural road projects, have been approved for Himachal, with the Centre contributing the overwhelming share of the funding....