Thousands of tourists stuck in traffic jam at Himachal's Atal Tunnel; WATCH

Himachal Pradesh has turned into a frustrating standstill for thousands of tourists caught in a massive traffic jam near the Atal Tunnel and Rohtang La.  A video shared by ANI showed that the 9.2-km Atal Tunnel, which was built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas to connect Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts, was full of traffic jam with passengers stranded in their vehicles. 

The National Highway connecting Manali and Keylong, a crucial artery for accessing Rohtang Pass and the iconic Atal Tunnel, has become a parking lot. Congestion is reported between Manali and Vashisth Chowk, Potato Ground to Rangadi, and Solang Nala to Atal Tunnel, stretching for kilometers and leaving vehicles bumper-to-bumper.

Similar woes plague the route leading to Shimla, with the highway connecting the state capital with Shoghi also experiencing gridlock.

According to police data, an estimated 65,000 people travelling in more than 12,000 vehicles passed through the Atal Tunnel on Sunday, indicating a significant influx of visitors to the area. The 9.2 kilometres long Atal Tunnel is the world's highest single-tube tunnel above 10,000 feet.

Massive traffic bottlenecks have been reported in the last two days, as a heavy rush has begun to arrive ahead of Christmas Eve. Tourists go to Himachal Pradesh destinations such as Kasol and Manali to celebrate the festival. 

However, this is causing massive traffic congestion on a daily basis, and today massive lines could be observed in the Atal Tunnel, which serves as a connecting link on both sides of the Rohtang Pass. 

Himachal Pradesh police have stated that around one lakh tourists are expected in the state ahead of New Year's Eve. 

Meanwhile, in Shimla, there has been an entry of over 55,000 vehicles in the past couple of days. The Atal Tunnel has seen a significant traffic flow, with approximately 55,000 vehicles passing through in the last three days. 

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