In a first-of-its-kind move, the Uttarakhand government has made online registration mandatory for all tourists visiting Mussoorie from 1 August 2025. The initiative aims to better manage traffic congestion, ensure tourist safety, and improve infrastructure planning in one of India’s most visited hill stations.
The online registration requirement, announced by the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, will be enforced at various entry points to the hill town, including Kincraig and Picture Palace. Tourists will now be required to register through the official Dehradun Smart City portal before arriving.
What once used to be a quaint, less-crowded summer escape has come to be an overcrowded go-to destination in the north. In the year 2022, Mussoorie recorded over 1.1 million tourist footfall which had by 2024 surged to more than 2.1 million, doubling in a matter of merely two years. According to sources, in July alone, more than 75,000 tourists visited the hill town over a single weekend, causing severe traffic jams, lack of parking, and strain on local resources.
This rapid rise has naturally come with an overwhelming pressure to the hill station's limited means and infrastructure. Traffic snarls and brawls are now becoming common sights on key roads like the famous Mall Road and the stretch between Picture Palace and Gandhi Chowk, especially on weekends when public from neighbouring cities pull in, public holidays and school vacations.
According to officials, the goal of the new system is to limit overcrowding, ensure better emergency response coordination, and help local authorities plan for crowd management and waste disposal in real-time. Authorities stated that there will be no restriction on the number of tourists for now, but the data collected will help monitor tourist inflow more effectively.
The concerned authorities worked towards a tech-enabled, streamlined process to curb this overwhelming influx of tourists. The system will expect travellers to feed details such as the number of visitors, vehicle registration number, dates of travel, accommodation details and other such information following which they will receive an OTP on their phone numbers to authenticate the process. International travellers, on the other hand, will have to use their email ids.
For this imperative if stern move, multiple reasons are being cited. The most pressing concern is traffic congestion, which has become a safety hazard. In a tragic incident earlier this year, a tourist from Delhi died after an ambulance got stuck in traffic and couldn't wade through to the hospital in time.
Apart from the traffic, ecological concerns rank supreme. In 2023, a panel appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recommended regulating the number of tourists visiting Mussoorie. The panel also noted that the hill station was on the brink of an environmental stress similar to that of Joshimath, another Himalayan town grappling with land subsidence and over-tourism. Unchecked construction, vehicular emissions and strain on natural resources could all result in a catastrophic end to Mussoorie's already fragile health.
The town's infrastructure is also under great pressure, with its narrow roads and limited parking facilities virtually inept of handling the current volume of vehicles during peak periods. Locals have often reported disruption of daily life as emergency services, sanitation and transport take a major blow.
Visitors planning to travel to Mussoorie must complete a simple online registration process through the Dehradun Smart City portal (https://dsclservices.org.in). The portal requires tourists to enter basic travel information, including vehicle details and the number of passengers. The registration can be shown at checkpoints via a mobile phone or a printed copy.
The check will be enforced at the main entry barriers—Kincraig and Picture Palace—where police will verify the digital receipt before granting access. Officials have confirmed that tourists who fail to register in advance may be turned away or delayed at these checkpoints.
Responses to the shift, even when it was first proposed, were conflicting. Some residents, especially those in the travel and hospitality industry, were more wary of the rule, while many applauded it as a long-overdue remedy for persistent traffic congestion and pollution. Some hotel operators expressed concern that the rule may deter last-minute or impulsive travellers.
The Tourism Department then responded to these worries by announcing that the system will be put into place following extensive discussions with all parties involved, including resident welfare organisations, hotel associations, and transportation unions. Additionally, authorities had been trying to make sure that visitors of all ages can easily complete the online process and that it is mobile-friendly.
Authorities have clarified that this is not a permit system but a mandatory data collection exercise. There is currently no cap on the number of tourists, and no fee is required for registration. The registration is aimed at streamlining access, not restricting it.
Tourists are advised to register in advance to avoid last-minute issues or entry refusals, especially on weekends and holidays when the volume of vehicles is higher. It is also recommended to check real-time updates on traffic or road conditions through the official Uttarakhand Police and Dehradun administration social media channels.
(With inputs from multiple sources.)
