Shimla will once again reverberate with tourists on Sunday, who make a bee line to the Queen of Hills on the New Year eve to dance to welcome the dawn of 2018.

Even as the tourists, who converge here from the neighbouring states, lately miss the date with snow on the New Year eve, it being a week-end, a large number of them have already reached for enjoyment with friends.

Most of hotels and guest houses in Shimla are jam-packed with special programmes scheduled for couples on Sunday evening. The revellers in groups fill the space on the historic Mall and Ridge, beating the chill for enjoyment.  The district Police, makes special security arrangements by deploying cops on every nook and corner of the Mall, is normally soft towards the tourists on 31 December, with thousands of them dancing on Disc Jockey (DJs) right on the Ridge.

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Rohan Chand Thakur informing about the arrangement for the New Year Eve said, “As many as 300 police personal are being deputed to maintain law and order, anticipating huge crowd of tourist expected to visit Shimla city. The entire city has been divided into 9 sectors and each of the sector has been placed under one Executive Magistrate and a police Officer.”

For the convenience of the tourist expected to visit Shimla, the sealed and restricted roads have been opened for the New Year eve for parking of light vehicles.

hakur appealed to the New Year revellers not to jeopardise the celebrations and exercise caution. While thousands of tourists come here for celebrations, however, the locals normally don’t prefer to join the messy crowds.

“I come to the Coffee House on the Mall every day with friends, but for 31 December. There is not an inch to walk on the Mall on the New Year Eve,” said retired officer, JM Sharma.

Not only Shimla, the other popular tourist destination, Dharamshala too is witness to the same crowd for celebrations on 31 December.

“Its gala business for hotels and restaurants on last two days of the year. So we organise special parties and music programmes to make the eye more enjoyable,” said some hoteliers in Dharamshala.