The Gandhi Jayanti long weekend has jammed Himachal’s two biggest hill towns. On Friday, 2 October 2026, around 16,000 vehicles moved through Shimla’s entry and exit points, and about 14,000 more on Saturday, 3 October, including roughly 8,000 from other states, according to Shimla’s Additional SP (City). Around 7,000 vehicles crossed into Himachal at Parwanoo on Friday alone, roughly double a normal weekend. Manali had queues from the town entrance to Mall Road, Solang and the Atal Tunnel approach. Today, Sunday 4 October, that traffic turns around and heads back to the plains. The monsoon formally left Himachal on 3 October, and IMD expects rain and high-hill snow from 5 to 9 October. The next two big surges are Dussehra (20 October) and Diwali (8 November).
If you are stuck in it right now, or planning your next trip to the hills, here is what happened and what it means for you.
What happened on the 2–4 October long weekend
Gandhi Jayanti fell on a Friday this year, so Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October became the first three-day weekend after the monsoon. The weather in the hills was dry and clear, and the plains were warm. Most of north India seems to have had the same idea at the same time.
Shimla
- Vehicle count: Additional SP (City) Mehar Panwar told The Tribune that about 16,000 vehicles entered and exited the city through its main points on Friday, and about 14,000 on Saturday, around 8,000 of them from other states. India TV, quoting police figures, put Friday’s count through the Shoghi barrier at 16,277, including about 7,060 from outside Himachal. On a normal day the figure is about 10,000.
- Where it jammed: traffic crawled from Taradevi, the entry from the Chandigarh side, and at Totu, Cart Road and Dhalli on the Manali and Kinnaur side. Road repair work at Dhalli slowed things further. Inside the city, Circular Road, Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli and Lakkar Bazaar were congested for most of Friday.
- Time lost: a drive to Mall Road that normally takes 15–20 minutes was taking one to two hours, according to India TV. India Today reported queues several kilometres long on the Kalka–Shimla highway, where a drive that usually takes three and a half to four hours was taking several hours more.
- Hotels: the District Tourism Officer said about 80% of Shimla’s hotels were booked, many of them full. Narkanda, Mashobra and Naldehra were running at 60–70%.
Parwanoo and the Kasauli belt
An official of the state Taxes Department told The Tribune that about 7,000 vehicles entered Himachal through Parwanoo on Friday and 3,500 more by 6 pm on Saturday. A normal weekend sees 3,000 to 3,500. The News Himachal reported a queue of about two kilometres at the Parwanoo toll plaza from early Friday until about 4 pm. Solan police sent extra staff to Kasauli and said they would add more on the Solan–Parwanoo highway for Sunday’s return traffic.
Manali, Dharamshala and the rest
In Manali, traffic slowed from the town entrance through to Mall Road, Solang Nala and the road to the Atal Tunnel. Some visitors spent hours on stretches that normally take a few minutes. Kangra police posted extra staff at McLeod Ganj, Dharamkot and Bhagsu, with personnel stationed every 100–150 metres, and put a Quick Reaction Team in McLeod Ganj. The Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Association said occupancy at the main tourist centres was between 60% and 80%.
Uttarakhand had the same problem. India Today reported a jam of about seven kilometres between Joshimath and Marwari on the Badrinath road, and Mussoorie, Nainital and Kainchi Dham were packed too. (Update, 8 October 2026: the Kainchi Dham crowds have now led the Nainital administration to propose mandatory Kainchi Dham registration and a daily visitor cap.)
Why this weekend was so heavy
Three things came together:
- The first long weekend after the monsoon. IMD’s Shimla centre confirmed that the southwest monsoon withdrew from the whole of Himachal on 3 October 2026. The normal date is 25 September. Many families who had held off since July travelled at once.
- Better highways, same old towns. The four-laned Parwanoo–Solan road and the Kiratpur–Nerchowk corridor get cars to the hills faster. But Shimla’s Circular Road and Manali’s Mall Road have not grown, and parking still spills onto the carriageway. The News Himachal pointed to haphazard parking as a major cause of Friday’s jams in Shimla.
- Everyone drove. Most of the queues were private cars from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Every one of them reaches the same last 20 kilometres.
Weather for the coming week (IMD, 3 October 2026)
IMD Shimla’s Bulletin No. 276, issued at 14:00 IST on 3 October 2026, forecasts:
| Date | Low & mid hills (Shimla, Solan, Kangra) | High hills (Lahaul, Kinnaur, upper Kullu) |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 4 Oct | Dry | Dry |
| Mon 5 Oct | Light rain at isolated places | Dry |
| Tue 6 – Fri 9 Oct | Light to moderate rain at few to many places | Light rain or snow at isolated places |
IMD has also warned of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 km/h at isolated places from 6 to 8 October, mainly in the lower and middle districts. Temperatures are forecast to drop by 2–3 °C after the first two or three days.
The Tribune reported on 3 October that Himachal ended the monsoon with 652.3 mm of rain against a normal of 734.4 mm, the state’s 41st-lowest total in 125 years.
What this means for your trip
If you are driving back today (Sunday 4 October)
- Expect the reverse jam. Police in Solan said they were adding staff on the Solan–Parwanoo highway because the whole weekend crowd heads down at once. Our drivers leave Shimla before 7 am or after about 4 pm on return days. The worst queues build from late morning to mid-afternoon.
- From Manali, leave early. Traffic through Kullu and Mandi builds as the day goes on.
- Do not trust a single map ETA. Check the HP Police and district police social media handles before you set off. If you see a queue, stop for a meal instead of joining it.
- Give way to emergency vehicles. On 3 October HP Police warned that blocking an ambulance, fire tender or police vehicle is an offence under Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act, with up to six months in jail, a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both.
If you are planning the next trip
- Midweek in October is the sweet spot. The monsoon has gone and the skies are clearing. The towns are calm from Monday to Thursday. If you can take two days off, take them midweek, not around a weekend.
- Dussehra is next. Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Monday 19 October (Maha Ashtami/Navami) is also a holiday on several state and school calendars, so for a lot of north India, Saturday 17 to Tuesday 20 October becomes a four-day window, or one day of leave away from it. Expect a repeat of this weekend, and book hotels and cabs now rather than the week before. If you are going for the festival itself, our Kullu Dussehra 2026 dates and travel guide covers the 21–27 October dates and where to stay.
- Diwali after that. Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. Office holidays around it vary by state and employer, so check yours. Any days off attached to that weekend will fill the hills again.
- Do not self-drive into the town centres. Most of Friday’s lost hours were in the last few kilometres, at Taradevi, Circular Road and Manali’s Mall Road, where parking is the real problem. A cab with a local driver who drops you at the hotel and parks elsewhere saves more time than any shortcut. Our Delhi to Shimla taxi is set up for this, with early departures timed to clear Zirakpur and Parwanoo before the rush.
- Start your day before the crowd. Kufri, Solang and the drive to the Atal Tunnel all fill up from mid-morning. If you leave the hotel at 7 am, you will be back before the queues build.
- Consider a quieter base. While Shimla was 80% booked, Naldehra, Mashobra and Narkanda had rooms. On the Manali side, Naggar and Jibhi are easier on a busy weekend than Mall Road.
Heading higher after the rain
The 5–9 October rain and high-hill snow could make a Lahaul or Rohtang day trip more popular, and less predictable. A light snow spell can lead to traffic being regulated beyond Manali at short notice. Check the Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu district administration notices, BRO updates and the IMD Shimla bulletin on the morning you travel. Our Rohtang permit and Himachal road status page lists the official sources to check. We do not post live open-or-closed calls that could be out of date by the time you read them.
The operator’s view
We run cabs and tours in Himachal every day, and a weekend like this changes how we plan. We put less driving into each day, start earlier, and stay in one base for several nights instead of moving hotels every night. A Shimla–Manali trip planned that way still works on a peak weekend. One that changes hotels every night loses half its daylight in queues. If you are planning a family trip for Dussehra, Diwali or the Christmas–New Year season, our Himachal tour packages from Delhi are built around those timings. You can also call or WhatsApp us on 7087488961 and we will tell you honestly which dates are worth avoiding.
FAQ: Shimla and Manali traffic, October 2026
How bad was the traffic in Shimla on the Gandhi Jayanti weekend?
Police counted about 16,000 vehicles in and out of Shimla on Friday 2 October 2026 and about 14,000 on Saturday 3 October, compared with about 10,000 on a normal day. A 15–20 minute drive to Mall Road was taking one to two hours, and the Kalka–Shimla highway had queues several kilometres long.
Is there a traffic jam in Manali today?
On 2 and 3 October 2026 there were long queues from the Manali town entrance to Mall Road, Solang Nala and the Atal Tunnel road. On Sunday 4 October most traffic will be heading out of Manali towards Kullu, Mandi and Chandigarh. Check the Kullu police handles before you set off. Conditions change by the hour.
What is the best time to leave Shimla or Manali on a return day?
Leave before 7 am or after about 4 pm. Late morning to mid-afternoon is when the whole weekend crowd is on the road together. On the Shimla route, the Parwanoo toll plaza is usually the worst bottleneck.
When is the next long weekend for the hills?
Dussehra. Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October 2026, and Monday 19 October is a holiday on several state and school calendars, so 17–20 October will draw a big crowd. Diwali is on Sunday 8 November 2026.
Has the monsoon ended in Himachal?
Yes. IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Shimla confirmed that the southwest monsoon withdrew from the whole of Himachal Pradesh on 3 October 2026. Light to moderate rain is still forecast for the low and mid hills from 6 to 9 October, with light snow possible at isolated places in the high hills.
Is October still a good time to visit Himachal?
Yes, especially midweek. The skies are clear, the nights are cool, and from mid-October there is a chance of snow in the high passes. Just avoid the long weekends unless you have booked ahead and planned your driving around the rush.
Sources
- IMD Meteorological Centre Shimla, Bulletin No. 276 (3 October 2026, 14:00 IST): monsoon withdrawal and 7-day forecast (this link always shows the latest bulletin)
- The Tribune, 3 October 2026: Tourists make a beeline for Shimla as monsoon season ends
- The Tribune, 3 October 2026: 7,000 vehicles enter Himachal via Parwanoo
- The Tribune, 3 October 2026: Heavy tourist rush triggers traffic jams in Shimla, Manali, Dharamsala
- The Tribune, 3 October 2026: Monsoon withdraws from Himachal, 41st-lowest rainfall in 125 years
- India TV, 3 October 2026: 16,000 vehicles enter Shimla in a single day
- India Today, 3 October 2026: Long weekend rush chokes Himachal, Uttarakhand roads
- The News Himachal, 2 October 2026: Shimla chokes on tourist rush
- The News Himachal, 3 October 2026: HP Police advisory on emergency vehicles
- The Economic Times, 30 September 2026: Navratri, Dussehra (20 Oct) and Diwali (8 Nov) 2026 dates
Last updated: 4 October 2026, 00:30 IST. Figures are as reported by police and officials to the outlets above. Road and weather conditions change quickly, so always check the official district and IMD updates before you travel.
