Tourist inflow to Dehradun, Mussoorie continues despite Uttarakhand's 'No Vehicle Day' push

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 16 : Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to conserve petrol and diesel, there appears to be little impact on tourists and vehicle owners arriving from other states in the capital city of Dehradun and the hill station of Mussoorie, often referred to as the Queen of the Hills.

According to data from the Asharodi check post, the main entry point to Dehradun, a total of 14,218 vehicles entered the city by midnight last Friday during the weekend rush. In comparison, by just 8 PM yesterday (Friday), the number of vehicles entering the capital had already crossed 12,019.

While government ministers and officials may be seen observing "No Vehicle Day," the massive rush of traffic on the highways tells a very different story.

In line with the government's energy conservation directives, the Uttarakhand Information Department has announced that every Saturday will be observed as a "No Vehicle Day."

Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari on Friday directed departmental officers and employees to use public transport, bicycles and other alternative modes of commuting on Saturdays.

He said small individual efforts could collectively contribute towards fuel conservation and environmental protection.

The initiative follows decisions taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami earlier this week.

According to an official release, the Chief Minister said global events, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the ongoing crisis in West Asia, had placed pressure on fuel supply chains and increased economic challenges for India.

The Uttarakhand government has announced several short-term and long-term reforms, including promoting work-from-home practices, encouraging public transport usage, reducing official vehicle fleets and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure in the state.

The state government also plans to introduce an effective EV policy under which 50 per cent of all new government vehicle purchases will mandatorily be electric vehicles.

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