Amid Delhi's Worsened AQI, Large Number of vehicles seen blocking Manali's Rohtang Pass

Amid the worsening AQI level in Delhi, a video has gone viral, claiming that weary residents are now heading towards the hills ahead of the holiday season. The highlight of the video is the jam-packed roads, raising concerns about the fragile hilly region of Himachal Pradesh.

The video has now gone viral on social media.

Viral video of Rohtang Pass

It has been shared by a user, Nikhil Saini, on X, formerly Twitter. It features multiple long queues of cars stuck in traffic. The narrow route was blocked by vehicles, while there was no snowfall in sight as well. With zero to negligible movement, passengers were also seen getting out of the vehicle as they waited to reach their destination.

Loud honking was also heard towards the end of the video.

Sharing the video, the user wrote in the caption, “Escape from toxic AQI or what? This jam isn’t on some city road, it’s Rohtang Pass. No snowfall yet. No vacations. Still such massive traffic. So what exactly is pulling everyone up there?”

Netizens react to traffic in the hills

The video has gained mixed reactions from the netizens, sparking fresh debate on Unregulated tourism and its effects on mountain ecosystems amid climate change.

Notably, the video arrived amid the poor air quality in Delhi, prompting users to question the trend. Reacting to the video, a user wrote in the comments, "White and White and White Cars! No Snow but still everything is white."

"The mountains look less like a mountain pass, more like a road in Gurgaon or greater Noida West full of dirt only," added one.

Another said, "Now I understand why Goa tickets are available at cheap rates this peak season!"

One more said, "Horrible as ever. Mountains are not calling anyone. They are screaming for help and want to avoid all cars."

Yet another commented, "It’s striking to see such massive traffic at Rohtang Pass, especially when there’s no snowfall or vacations. This is one of the most fragile ecological zones in the region, not equipped to handle such volumes of tourists. Beyond environmental stress, it’s also a highly risky zone — landslides, sudden weather changes, and accidents are constant threats. Without proper regulations and controlled access, this could quickly turn into a serious catastrophe. There’s an urgent need for new policies to manage visitor flow, protect the ecosystem, and ensure safety in such sensitive high-altitude areas."

Delhi's AQI level

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 380 and remained in the ‘very poor’ category. Amid smog levels, visibility dropped in the national capital while many complained about breathing difficulties.

Although the conditions improved on Wednesday, Delhi’s AQI still remained ‘very poor’ at 329, as per the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB).