SHAH IN SHIMLA TODAY FOR MEGA BJP RALLY

SHIMLA: Tourists coming to the Himachal Pradesh capital for a yearend break will find the prime destination out of bounds as BJP President Amit Shah is scheduled to address a massive public rally on The Ridge on Friday. Shah’s visit to the hill station is scheduled to celebrate BJP’s second year stint in the state led by Jai Ram Thakur. Hundreds of party activists are expected to join the mega event.

SHIMLA: Tourists coming to Shimla for their year-end break on Friday may find the hill station out of bounds as BJP president and home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a public rally on The Ridge to commemorate BJP’s second year in power with Jai Ram Thakur at the helm.

The Shimla police have laid out a traffic-management plan for the convenience of tourists and local residents.

Traffic congestion is expected between 9am to 11am as at least 3,000 vehicles and 250 buses are expected to enter Shimla and cause congestion. As many as 1,200 vehicles are expected to enter the town from Dhalli, which will affect the traffic.

Victory Tunnel to Boileauganj Road, through Chaura Maidan, will be closed for ordinary vehicles. The Cart Road will be available for people who will be visiting Summer Hill through Boileauganj. The Boileauganj to Hotel Peterhoff road will be restricted. Vehicles venturing into Annadale will be checked.

Superintendent of police (SP), Shimla, Omapati Jamwal said that for passengers coming from Bilaspur, the drop-off point will be the AG Office, between Winter Field and Victory Tunnel, under Winter Field, near the parking at the lift and Bemloi area before 9am and Tavi Mod, Tutikandi parking area and old barrier after 9am. He said that a shuttle services will be provided between Tavi Mod and Tutikandi parking area. Buses will be parked on the

Shimla Bypass Road and light vehicles will be parked in the Indian Institute Of Advanced Studies, Government High School, Chaura Maidan parking and Ava Lodge road. The return pick-up point will be the Tutikandi parking, he added.

The DC said that for vehicles coming from upper Shimla, the drop off point will be the Chalonthi junction on the Sanjauli bypass for buses arriving before 9am and Dhalli bus stand after 9am. He said shuttle buses will be provided between Dhalli and Auckland tunnels after 9am.

He said the buses will be parked at the Apple Mandi at Bhattakuffar, the spillover on APMC Dhalli to Bhattakuffar National Highway. He said that light motor vehicles would be parked at APMC mandi.