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Located along the banks of the Ganga, at the foothills of the Himalayas, Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh is globally renowned as the ‘Yoga capital of the World’ and a hub for adventure tourism.
Every year, the number of tourists visiting the city exceeds its local population by three times, putting immense pressure on the small hill town’s air quality, roads and especially its public transport system.
The city lacks a designated city bus service and the movement of millions of tourists relies solely on autos, Vikrams (shared three-wheelers), or private vehicles.
“Tourists from around the world visit Rishikesh, so the traffic situation is terrible. On weekends, we locals have stopped stepping out of our homes. Recently, I had urgent work and needed to travel from Natraj Chowk to Tapovan. Covering a distance of just about five kilometres took me three and a half hours. At one point, I felt like jumping out of the vehicle. There was continuous traffic behind and no way to move forward,” Pawan Sharma, a local resident, told Down To Earth (DTE).
He advised staying away from this small hill town during holidays or weekends due to the endless traffic jams.
“The Char Dham pilgrimage is ongoing right now, and the summer rafting season is in full swing. To handle the traffic from Delhi and Dehradun, the police have designated an alternate long route, which provides some relief on weekdays. Otherwise, on the city’s narrow roads, traffic often comes to a complete standstill,” Sharma added.
Population: 300,000, vehicles: 200,000, tourists: countless
According to the 2011 census, Rishikesh tehsil had a population of 260,000, which is expected to grow up to around 300,000 by 2025. Meanwhile, data from the tourism department shows that the number of tourists visiting Rishikesh every year far exceeds the local population.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 300,000 tourists visited in 2021. This number jumped to 760,000 in 2022, 1.04 million in 2023 and 970,000 in 2024 — more than three times the local population.
To make things worse, according to the Transport Department, over 200,000 vehicles are registered in Rishikesh as of May, 2025.
The city has no city bus service for internal commuting. All transportation depends on 3-to-13-seater autos, Vikrams, or maxi cabs.
There are 8,246 registered vehicles for public transport in Rishikesh — including 1,483 e-rickshaws, 2,997 maxi cabs, 3,722 motor cabs and 44 Omni buses.
There are 2,252 buses registered for public transport connecting Rishikesh to Dehradun and other districts.
Talking of private vehicles, 146,000 two-wheelers and 22,740 cars are registered — a total of 168,000 vehicles.
According to a report by the Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation working on metro train projects in Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar, public transport accounts for only seven per cent of the total commuting share, while around 58 per cent of people use two-wheelers.
Shortage of evening buses between Rishikesh and Dehradun
Every day, a large number of people travel between Rishikesh and Dehradun, about 44 kilometers away, for education and work.
Sangeeta Bhatt, who works at a clothing store in Dehradun, is one of them.
“Traveling across Dehradun takes as much time as getting from Rishikesh to Dehradun. But the real issue arises in the evening when colleges and offices close,” Bhatt told DTE.
“Only four rounds of buses run daily between Dehradun and Rishikesh under the Urban Development Scheme. The drivers and conductors finish all four trips by day’s end, even if the buses are empty. So, in the evening — when demand is highest — there are no buses available,” she complained.
After getting off the bus, Sangeeta uses a tempo or e-rickshaw to reach home. She said, “Rishikesh’s towns and villages have now merged. Our city now needs at least two city buses.”
Narrow roads and geographical constraints
“Rishikesh’s geography is very unique. There are only two main roads — a highway and a bypass road — that act as the city’s central spine. The roads are narrow, so there’s not enough space for a city bus service,” Mohit Kothari, the Assistant Regional Transport Officer who was transferred from Rishikesh to Rudrapur a month ago, told DTE.
He went on to say that Vikrams, autos and e-rickshaws are sufficient for the city’s needs and effective for last-mile connectivity.
Kothari asserted that there is decent bus availability for travel to Dehradun and Haridwar. In his view, the problem is not the number of vehicles, but the limited infrastructure:
“The real challenge in Rishikesh is not the number of vehicles, but the limited infrastructure. The city’s core is a hub for religious, adventure, and entertainment tourism. Also, being the gateway to the mountains and the Char Dham Yatra adds immense pressure to the area. We need to think and act differently to improve the current infrastructure.”
Yoga city grapples with air pollution
The air quality of the Himalayan city is also deteriorating due to vehicle emissions.
Areas with high footfall like the Municipal Corporation office, SPS Hospital, and Natraj Hotel consistently record air pollution levels above permissible limits. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), PM10 and PM2.5 levels in these areas remain in the ‘moderate’ category but still exceed standards. In March this year, PM10 levels ranged from 150 to 170 µg/m³, and PM2.5 ranged from 70 to 86 µg/m³. Similar levels were recorded in February.
Air pollution is also affecting public health.
“We see a high number of patients with TB, pneumonia and chest infections in this area,” Dr. Abhigyan Bahuguna from the Respiratory Diseases Department at the Government Hospital noted.
“Rishikesh is a city built on a limited land area. It is heavily burdened by population and tourism. When particulate pollution levels are high, TB-causing bacteria can remain airborne for longer periods, increasing the risk of transmission. These tiny particles stick to aerosols and linger in the air, making infections more likely to spread,” he added.
Dependence on Vikrams, demand for city buses
Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), efforts have been underway in Rishikesh for the past six years to improve air quality. The Rishikesh Clean Air Action Plan identifies PM10 as the biggest contributor to poor air quality, mainly due to road dust and vehicle emissions. The plan recommends phasing out diesel vehicles over 15 years old and switching to CNG/LPG-fueled transport.
Despite this, the city still heavily relies on diesel-powered Vikrams for mobility.
“We urgently need to replace Vikrams with clean-fuel vehicles. There are plenty of e-rickshaws, but their slow speed raises the risk of accidents. That’s why there is demand to restrict them from main roads,” Shailendra Negi, Municipal Commissioner told DTE.
“This year, under the annual NCAP action plan, we have proposed 4 electric city buses to connect Rishikesh’s outer areas with the main city,” commissioner added.
Noise from Vikrams, autos, and private vehicles also troubles pedestrians. Sanjogita, an ITI student living near Rishikesh market, walks more than two kilometers to her institute daily.
“I prefer walking through alleys instead of the main road. Even sidewalks on the narrow roads are occupied by autos and loading vehicles. Along with air pollution, the constant honking is unbearable,” she added.
Sanjogita hopes that if the city gets comfortable electric buses, people might prefer public transport over personal cars.
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