Himachal Pradesh witnessed massive traffic congestion as several tourists thronged the hill stations in the state for Christmas and New Year celebrations. Amid the rush, a tourist found an offbeat way to skip the traffic woes – ditching roads for a drive across a river.

In a video, which has now gone viral on social media, a tourist was seen driving a Mahindra Thar SUV through the Chandra River in Lahaul Valley possibly in an attempt to save time and beat the traffic. The water level of the river was not too high which allowed the SUV to cross it without much difficulty. However, the episode didn’t sit well with the locals after the video started doing the rounds.

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Himachal Pradesh police took action and issued a challan against the driver.

SP Mayank Chaudhry told ANI, “Recently, a video went viral in which a Thar is crossing the river Chandra in District Lahaul Spiti. The said vehicle has been challenged under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and to ensure that no one commits such an offence in the future, the district police have deployed police personnel at the said place.”

Manali and Shimla, popular tourist destinations in Himachal, are currently attracting a multitude of visitors who are eager to celebrate Christmas.

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According to officials, over the past three days, approximately 55,000 vehicles traversed the Atal tunnel in Rohtang, connecting Kullu, Lahaul, and Spiti. Numerous videos circulating on social media depict an extensive lineup of vehicles on the roads.