Thousands of tourists who thronged the hill town of Shimla and other resorts in the State on the New Year eve had to spend the chilling night in their cars after they found all hotels and guest houses booked to capacity.
More than 30,000 cars entered the hill capital on the weekend from the Parwanoo barrier and had to move beyond Shimla in search of parking.
Traffic jam till noon
After the New Year celebrations on the famous Ridge and Mall Road, most of the revellers were seen sleeping in their cars till the early hours. A number of them from the nearby plains of Punjab and Haryana preferred to drive back early on Sunday which resulted in a traffic jam from 6 a.m. till noon in the main town.
The local administration seemed totally helpless with hardly any police or home guard personnel seen on the roads. There was also a cent per cent booking in majority of hotels on the first day of the New Year.
There were reports of some confrontations and scuffles involving a group of drunk youngsters from various nearby towns.
The tourists who visited the hill town expecting snowfall on the New Year eve were disappointed.
Local residents complained of massive littering by outsiders and pointed out that hardly any green tax was collected from them.
