The scenic hill town of Bhowali, known as a gateway to Nainital and other Kumaon destinations, is reeling under a severe traffic crisis after the Sanitarium–Nainiband bypass was shut down due to a landslide last week. With the bypass closed, all vehicles are being diverted through the narrow Bhowali market road, creating massive traffic jams that have disrupted daily life and hit local businesses hard.
Detour Through Market Chokes Town Normally, the bypass serves as a critical alternative route to ease congestion in the bustling market area. Since its closure, vehicles including heavy tourist buses, local taxis, and private cars are being forced onto the 3-kilometre detour through the market, which is ill-equipped to handle such volume. Long queues of vehicles have been reported throughout the day, particularly during peak hours, leaving commuters frustrated and residents struggling to go about their routines.
Shopkeepers say that instead of boosting sales, the traffic jams are driving customers away. “People are avoiding stopping in Bhowali because they fear getting stuck in the jam for hours. Business has dropped significantly in the past week,” said a trader whose shop lies on the main market road.
Livelihoods Disrupted The crisis has also had a social impact. Pavement vendors who used the bypass stretch to set up small stalls have been left without income. With the bypass closed and debris piled up, they have lost their space to earn a livelihood. “We have nowhere else to go. Until the bypass is cleared, our income is zero,” said one affected vendor.
Locals Demand Quicker Action Local leaders and residents have voiced strong concerns over the delay in reopening the bypass. Councillor Kishan Adhikari has urged authorities to permanently station excavation machinery at vulnerable points like this bypass, so that landslides can be cleared swiftly. “Every time a landslide happens, days are wasted in bringing machines from other locations. If we had permanent equipment here, the bypass would not have been closed this long,” he remarked.
NHAI Response The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed a JCB excavator to the site to remove the debris. Officials have assured that work is underway and the bypass will be reopened soon. Executive Engineer Deepak Kumar stated that clearance operations are progressing steadily, though the scale of debris and unstable slopes have slowed the process.
Tourism and Connectivity at Stake The timing of the closure has amplified its impact. August remains a busy season for tourists heading to Nainital, Mukteshwar, Ranikhet, and Almora. With Bhowali serving as a key junction, the bottleneck has left visitors stranded for hours, casting a shadow over the tourism experience. Taxi drivers and transport operators also report mounting losses due to longer wait times and increased fuel consumption.
Looking Ahead The incident has once again raised questions about the fragility of Uttarakhand’s road infrastructure and the need for better disaster-preparedness mechanisms. While NHAI has promised a swift reopening, residents insist that long-term solutions—such as slope stabilization, retaining walls, and pre-positioned machinery—are essential to prevent repeated closures in the future.
For now, Bhowali continues to struggle with gridlocked streets and frustrated commuters. The reopening of the bypass remains eagerly awaited, not just to ease traffic but to restore a sense of normalcy in this important Kumaon town.
