Why the Queen of the Hills faces a looming water crisis by 2052

Nature · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Mussoorie, the renowned Himalayan hill station, is grappling with a precarious future. While its colonial history and scenic vistas draw millions of visitors, the town now faces a critical water shortage. As demand climbs and resources dwindle, experts warn that the current supply will become entirely inadequate within three decades.

Established in 1825 by Captain Frederick Young, Mussoorie—often called the Queen of the Hills—evolved from a military outpost into a premier resort. Its development was marked by the construction of early infrastructure, such as the first beer brewery in 1832 and the arrival of the railway in Dehradun by 1900, which significantly improved accessibility. The town’s cultural landscape is equally diverse, having served as a refuge for the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959 and becoming a permanent home for thousands of Tibetan settlers in the decades that followed.

Geographically, the town sits at an average elevation of approximately 2,006 metres, offering panoramic views of the Garhwal Himalayan range and the Doon Valley. However, this high-altitude environment is increasingly sensitive to human activity. The local climate, characterized by heavy monsoonal rains and a rare winter phenomenon known as the winterline, is being altered by deforestation and construction. These environmental pressures, combined with a rising population, have placed immense strain on the town’s natural resources.

The most pressing concern is the town's water security. As of 2023, the daily demand for drinking water has reached 12.6 million litres. According to the National Green Tribunal, this demand is on an unsustainable trajectory. Projections indicate that the existing water supply will fail to meet the needs of the population by 2052. This looming crisis highlights the friction between Mussoorie's status as a major tourist destination—which saw over 3 million visitors in 2019—and the physical limitations of its fragile mountain ecosystem.

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