ARUNODAY TIMES ..
Dehradun, August 2, 2026: Information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by social activist Anoop Nautiyal has raised serious concerns over the reliability of tourist registration data being used to assess Mussoorie’s carrying capacity. The RTI response suggests that only a fraction of actual visitors are being registered, prompting calls for an urgent review of the system.
According to the RTI reply received on June 10, 2026, only 116,008 tourists were registered in Mussoorie between August 2025 and May 2026. The figure comes despite heavy tourist inflow during weekends, public holidays, festivals, and the summer season, leading to concerns that the official registration numbers significantly underrepresent the actual number of visitors.
Monthly Registration Figures
The RTI data shows the following tourist registrations:
- August 2025: 27,349
- September: 5,876
- October: 8,571
- November: 6,134
- December: 9,346
- January 2026: 4,983
- February: 3,003
- March: 4,759
- April: 20,731
- May: 25,256
The total of 116,008 registrations over ten months appears disproportionately low compared to Mussoorie’s known tourist footfall.
Registration System Introduced After NGT Intervention
The tourist registration mechanism was introduced following the Joshimath land subsidence crisis in January 2023, when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance and directed the Uttarakhand government to scientifically assess Mussoorie’s carrying capacity.
Subsequently, the state government constituted a nine-member committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, to evaluate the hill station’s carrying capacity and recommend corrective measures.
In its report submitted to the NGT on July 24, 2023, the Uttarakhand government identified 18 mitigation and management measures and emphasized that tourist registrations should be maintained in accordance with the region’s carrying capacity to support scientific planning and sustainable tourism management.
Sharp Gap Between 2022 Tourist Numbers and 2026 Registrations
The RTI data also highlights a striking disparity between actual tourist arrivals and current registration figures.
According to the Uttarakhand government’s own report, 378,037 tourists visited Mussoorie between January and May 2022. In contrast, the RTI response shows that only 58,732 tourists were registered during the same period in 2026.
This means that the registered tourist count in 2026 represents only about 15% of the tourist arrivals recorded in 2022, raising serious questions about the effectiveness and coverage of the registration system.
“Perhaps Only 5–10% of Tourists Are Being Registered”
Commenting on the findings, Anoop Nautiyal said that with the opening of the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway and the resulting increase in tourist inflow, it is reasonable to estimate that only around 5–10% of actual tourists may currently be getting registered.
He clarified that this is an estimate based on available registration data and needs to be independently verified through a comprehensive review of the existing system.
Accurate Data Essential for Scientific Planning
Nautiyal stressed that reliable tourist data is the foundation of any scientific carrying capacity assessment.
Without accurate information on visitor numbers, authorities cannot properly evaluate pressure on:
- Road infrastructure
- Traffic management
- Parking facilities
- Water supply
- Solid waste management
- Accommodation capacity
- Emergency services
- Mussoorie’s fragile ecosystem
He warned that incomplete or inaccurate data could lead to flawed conclusions and weaken both short-term management and long-term planning.
Call for Immediate Reforms
Nautiyal urged the government to transform the tourist registration system from a mere procedural formality into an effective management tool. He called for:
- An immediate review of the existing registration mechanism;
- Identification of implementation gaps;
- Stronger enforcement of registration requirements;
- Better coordination among tourism stakeholders; and
- Development of a robust, technology-driven tourist registration system.
Given the large discrepancy between historical tourist arrival data and current registration figures, he also urged the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to take note of the ground realities and issue appropriate directions.
According to Nautiyal, until tourist registration data accurately reflects actual visitor numbers, it will not be possible to scientifically assess Mussoorie’s carrying capacity or effectively manage the growing pressure of tourism on the hill station.
