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Delhi

Shimla water crisis takes a toll on buses leaving ISBTs in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Over the last two weeks, the water crisis of Shimla has adversely effected the inter state bus terminals (ISBT) at Kashmere Gate and Anand Vihar, as the number of tourists to Himachal Pradesh has gone down by 80 per cent.
From 15, the number of buses leaving Kashmere Gate for Shimla has fallen to five.
"This is a time when people go to Shimla to escape the summer. But this time it is different. We are hardly getting passengers," said Ranvir Yadav, a bus driver, adding that Shimla is discouraging arrival of tourists due to the water crisis.
"I heard that the situation is changing. Hopefully, by the end of the month, things will become normal," he said.
Tourists from Delhi, who were eagerly planning to go to the hill station, had to cancel their plans. "I planned to go to Shimla, but due to the water crisis, we will go to Kullu-Manali this summer," said Rohan Srivastava, a private employee.
Sources in Himachal Tourism claimed that arrival of tourists to Shimla has dropped by a staggering 80 per cent.
"The water crisis is really bad and that's why the government is also discouraging tourists this time. This has affected the business badly. Tourism is the main business of the people in Shimla and the largest crowds comes from Delhi. But this time, the picture is completely different," said an official of Himachal Tourism.
Environmentalists too have appealed tourists to stay away from Shimla till the paralysing water crisis is resolved.
With peak tourist season in underway the hill town, an estimated 20,000 visitors reach Shimla each day.
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