'Rohtang Is New Karolbagh': Tourists Rush To Himalayas Amid Delhi's Rising Toxic AQI; Hundreds Of Vehicles Spark Traffic Snarls

As Delhi-NCR continues to reel under 'Severe and Very Poor' air quality levels, many residents appear to be heading towards the mountains in search of cleaner air. A viral video from Himachal Pradesh’s Rohtang Pass has reignited the conversation around pollution-driven tourism and the strain it puts on fragile hill ecosystems.

The clip, shared on X (formerly Twitter) user Nikhil Saini, shows an unusually long traffic jam stretching nearly 10 kilometres at Rohtang Pass. Hundreds of vehicles, mostly white taxis, can be seen lined up bumper-to-bumper, barely moving. Highlighting the unusual timing of the rush, Saini wrote, “Escape from toxic AQI or what? This jam isn’t on some city road; it’s Rohtang Pass. No snowfall yet. No vacations. Still, such massive traffic. So what exactly is pulling everyone up there?”

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The visuals quickly went viral, with netizens expressing shock over the congestion at a high-altitude location that typically sees peak crowds during heavy snowfall or holiday breaks. Many questioned why such traffic was witnessed despite the absence of snowfall and the fact that major vacation periods are yet to begin.

While Himachal Pradesh is a favoured winter getaway, especially destinations like Manali, Shimla, and Dharamshala, the sudden surge has raised concerns over poor crowd regulation and environmental stress. Some social media users blamed exaggerated or misleading travel content on social platforms for drawing tourists prematurely, while others pointed to inadequate traffic and tourist management by local authorities.

The incident has once again sparked debate on how worsening air pollution in metropolitan cities is indirectly pushing people towards ecologically sensitive regions, often without proper planning or infrastructure to handle such inflows.