Mussoorie, May 3 -- An unprecedented surge of tourists in the hill town of Mussoorie led to massive traffic jams on Saturday, posing a challenge to the local administration in managing the heavy flow of vehicles. From the Mussoorie-Dehradun highway to roads leading towards Dhanaulti and Kempty Falls, the influx left visitors and residents stranded for hours. The congestion was most severe on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road, where tailbacks stretched over two kilometres from Kingcraig to Library Bazaar and JP Bend. Simultaneously, the route towards Kempty Falls witnessed a near-total bottleneck up to Zero Point, forcing the administration to take emergency measures to restore normalcy. SDM Mussoorie Rahul Anand described the situation as an "unprecedented rush", saying that several thousand vehicles entered the town since Friday. "In response, a one-way traffic plan has been enforced. Mussoorie-bound vehicles are being diverted towards Kimari, while Yamunotri-bound pilgrims are being redirected through Vikas Nagar. Traffic police and other departments have been placed on high alert at major choke points, including Gandhi Chowk and Picture Palace," he said. He added that by evening, officials were forced to stop heavy vehicles at Kuthal Gate, permitting entry only to tourists with confirmed hotel bookings to prevent a complete collapse of traffic flow in the town. For many visitors, the weekend getaway turned into a long ordeal. Harbhajan Singh, a tourist from Noida, said, "While the drive to Dehradun via the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor was smooth, the final stretch to Mussoorie took nearly three hours at a snail's pace." Residents, too, expressed concern over the worsening situation. Amit Shukla, a local resident, described the environment as "nauseating" due to the smell of burning clutch plates and vehicular emissions. "Unless the town's infrastructure is overhauled, such recurring situations will continue to tarnish Mussoorie's reputation and discourage tourism," he said. In a bid to ease congestion on the Mall Road, the Mussoorie Municipal Board has tightened restrictions on vehicular entry. Board president Meera Saklani said, "Vehicle movement on Mall Road is strictly prohibited after 5 pm, with limited relaxation for locals till 6 pm." She added that the board is also working towards digitising toll collection through a "fast-track" online payment system and installation of digital scanners to eliminate long queues and maintain the pedestrian-friendly character of the Mall Road. However, experts say the issue extends beyond traffic management. Environmentalist Vipin Kumar warned that Mussoorie has exceeded its carrying capacity, a problem likely to worsen with improved road connectivity. "The immediate solution is to halt private vehicles at Kingcraig and introduce a mandatory shuttle service within the town," he said. Meanwhile, Mussoorie Hotel Association president Sanjay Agarwal said that while hotel occupancy has crossed 80%, inadequate parking infrastructure remains a major concern. "We urge the government to develop multi-level and hydraulic parking facilities. Existing spaces at Kingcraig and Town Hall are insufficient during peak season," he said....