Shimla Winter Carnival Opens With 'Drug-Free Himachal' Pledge
Round-the-clock hospitality operations with sector-based policing target an expected holiday surge.
Overview
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the nine-day festival at the Ridge, flagged off a cultural parade, joined a Nati performance, and noted parallel celebrations in Dharamshala.
- Hotels, dhabas and restaurants have permission to operate 24 hours during the festive period to accommodate visitors.
- Shimla Police divided the city into five sectors, ensured 24x7 deployment at the Ridge, and are monitoring CCTV as traffic and parking plans roll out.
- Authorities expect daily vehicle entries to climb from 6,000–7,000 to 15,000–20,000 by December 31, with tourist footfall rising sharply based on past years.
- Sukhu highlighted tourism measures including a revised Eco-Tourism Policy with 11 sites allotted and 27 nearing allotment, nearly ₹6 crore in eco-tourism revenue since 2023, homestay interest subsidies, and a Tourism Investment Promotion Council, while also ordering a report on a viral IGMC assault allegation with action promised.