State PCS - Uttarakhand (UKPSC)

• 31 Jul 2025

Uttarakhand’s First-Ever Tourist Carrying Capacity Assessment

Why in News? 

To safeguard Uttarakhand’s ecologically sensitive hill towns from the growing impact of unregulated tourism, the state government will undertake its first-ever tourist carrying capacity survey in Nainital, Kainchi Dham, and Bhowali, aimed at evaluating the strain on infrastructure caused by overcrowding, excessive vehicular traffic, and overburdened public amenities. 

• Earlier, in September 2024, the National Green Tribunal directed the state government to classify Nainital district into prohibited, regulated, and development zones, based on its carrying capacity and environmental sensitivity. 

Key Points 

• Survey Scope and Expected Outcome: The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) will conduct the survey during both peak and off-peak seasons, assessing vehicular inflow, tourist footfall, and hospitality capacity, with support from CCTV monitoring.  
  • Based on the findings, the state may implement a tourist registration system and develop a sustainable roadmap aimed at ecological conservation, traffic management, and infrastructure enhancement. 
• Need of Survey: Over 7,500 four-wheelers enter Nainital city daily during peak tourist seasons, translating to nearly 30,000 tourists per day, causing severe pressure on the town’s limited infrastructure. 

Carrying Capacity 

• About: Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population or activity level that a particular area can sustain without degrading its natural resources and environment. It is determined by both: 
  • Biotic factors such as vegetation and hydrology. 
  • Abiotic factors such as terrain and climate. 
• Approaches to Assessing Carrying Capacity: 
  • Planetary Boundaries Approach: This method is used in the context of global environmental challenges, including climate change, land degradation, pollution, and water scarcity. It helps identify safe operating limits for human activity on Earth. 
  • Biocapacity Overshoot Approach: A sustainability metric that measures the ecological demand humans place on natural systems. It highlights how we consume a year’s worth of ecological resources in just a few months—illustrated by concepts like Earth Overshoot Day. 
• Importance: Assessing carrying capacity is essential for balancing environmental sustainability with development needs. When guided by the precautionary principle, it provides a practical framework to resolve conflicts between developmental governance and the long-term sustainability of natural systems.