Officials believe the mandatory registration will provide accurate real-time data on the number of people present in Mussoorie at any given time. This crucial information will be instrumental in improving traffic management, optimizing parking facilities, and maintaining environmental balance. The department is also developing separate registration and route plans for transit visitors, such as those passing through Mussoorie on their way to the Chardham Yatra.The announcement has, however, drawn mixed reactions from the state’s hospitality sector. Arun Verma, President of the Almora Hotel Association, voiced stern opposition, highlighting existing challenges. “The biggest problem currently is the severe traffic jam near Kainchi Dham. Businesses in Kausani, with its 40 hotels, have been ruined because of this,” Verma lamented. “If this situation persists, we will be completely destroyed in the next two years. The registration process should be avoided. We don’t get Chardham-level tourist volumes here; mandatory registration will only cripple tourism.”In contrast, Sanjay Agarwal, President of the Mussoorie Hotel Association, extended a warm reception to the government’s initiative. “This will certainly organize tourism, and the post-registration process will prove effective,” Agarwal remarked. He suggested that tourists could register via a mobile link upon reaching Mussoorie, or through their hotels, which would ensure transparency and better management.However, Digvijay Singh Bisht, President of the Nainital Hotel Association, expressed significant concerns, arguing that the move could adversely affect tourism there. “Nainital’s situation is entirely different,” Bisht explained. “Thousands come daily to the District Court, High Court, and other government offices. Besides, Nainital has a resident population of 7,000 households. How will we differentiate daily commuters from tourists? This will only introduce unnecessary complexity.”
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