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Explainer: The Manali-Atal Tunnel chaos

Recurrent gridlocks expose the mismatch between booming tourism and fragile infrastructure, raising questions about sustainability & regulation

Dipender Manta

Updated At : 07:07 AM Jan 10, 2026 IST

Overcrowding, dissatisfied tourists and negative publicity are beginning to erode Manali’s reputation as a premium hill destination. File photo

The recent winter tourist season has once again exposed the fragile balance between tourism-led growth and infrastructure capacity in the Manali-Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh. Kilometre-long traffic snarls, hours of gridlock between Manali and the Atal Tunnel, pressure on civic amenities and visible environmental stress have turned what was envisioned as a transformative connectivity project into a recurring seasonal flashpoint of chaos and concern.

The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five eminent persons as trustees.

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The Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).

Remembering Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia

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Explainer: The Manali-Atal Tunnel chaos

Recurrent gridlocks expose the mismatch between booming tourism and fragile infrastructure, raising questions about sustainability & regulation

Dipender Manta

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