‘Over-tourism’ strains HP’s roads, admits CM

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday acknowledged that "over-tourism" in the ecologically fragile Himalayan state was straining its carrying capacity of roads, causing heavy traffic during peak seasons.Responding to a question by Banjar MLA Surender Shourie in the state assembly, the CM assured that highways and roads would be repaired before the upcoming tourist season, along with adequate police deployment to manage traffic. He also stated that no scientific study on carrying capacity had been conducted for tourist destinations in Banjar constituency, and there were no plans to undertake one.Apart from being an asssembly seat, Banjar is popular for being a niche tourist destination, offering trekking, cultural and angling tourism.He added Himachal was the land of ‘Shakti Peethas', so it would be promoted for religious tourism. "The state govt is preparing a master plan for Shri Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district," Sukhu said in response to a question by BJP MLA Randhir Sharma.The CM also informed the house that temples in Himachal Pradesh would be beautified, and a budget of Rs 25 crore had been allocated for Chintpurni and Jwalamukhi temples.A comprehensive master plan for ‘Shakti Peethas' will be prepared within a year, including lifts for the elderly and a comfortable space for shopkeepers, he added.GOVT HALVES SPENDING ON ADSAdvt spending slashed | Govt spent ₹14.73 crore on advertisements over three years via the information and public relations department, compared to ₹28 crore by the previous BJP regime; total ad spend across departments stood at ₹22.87 crore till Oct 31, 2025205 thalassaemia patients | State has 205 thalassaemia and 158 haemophilia patients; free medicines and blood provided, while eligible patients get ₹3,000 monthly aid under the Sahara SchemeScrap policy soon | Govt to bring policy for scientific disposal of scrap across departments, including police stations, hospitals and schools, in the next cabinet meetingJal Jeevan Mission | Drinking water projects hit as Centre has not released ₹1,227 crore in the past year; funds remain under central control and cannot be diverted