Nainital, Mussoorie reap benefit of polluted Delhi, tourists throng in large numbers over the weekend

MUSSOORIE/NAINITAL: The clear blue skies of Mussoorie and Nainital have over the past few days been drawing people from Delhi and NCR who are desperate to escape the smog-induced pollution plaguing their area.
Hoteliers in both the hill towns have reported almost double the number of tourists that they usually see at this time of the year. Sanjay Aggarwal, secretary, Mussoorie Hotel Owners Association, told TOI, “Usually November is low season for us and the occupancy rate is around 30% during this time.But since last week when the deadly pollution in Delhi broke out, we have been seeing a lot of walk-in customers from the Delhi area. As a result, occupancy rates in most hotels are now around 60 %.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Ved Sah, owner of a popular hotel on Nainital’s Mall Road said, “Most of our rooms are occupied till Sunday. This is a pleasant surprise for us as we did not anticipate much business during this time of the year.”
Tourists, too, expressed happiness at getting a chance to “breathe in fresh air.” Gautam and Doel Pandey, a couple from Delhi, said, ‘We decided to head to the hills after we saw our five-year-old daughter Ira having coughing bouts. It just didn’t seem right to stay in Delhi with such high pollution levels. That’s why we decided to come to Mussoorie.”
The influx of tourists has also led the administration to make special plans — especially in Nainital which grapples with acute parking problems. Harish Chandra Sati, additional superintendent of police, Nainital said, “We have upped our security measures and are keeping a constant eye on traffic management in the town.”
Sandeep Sahney, member, Tourism Development Board, Uttarakhand said that “while the arrival of tourists was good news for the state, at the same time it’s important we also keep a check on our pollution levels.” “More cars coming to our hill stations will also increase pollution here. The long term view should be to look at green energy.”