Electric buses worry cab owners

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Kullu, December 8

The successful electric bus trial on the Manali-Rohtang route this year has left taxi operators worried for their livelihood.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Taxi Operators’ Union President, Manali, Raj Kumar Dogra said, “We are more concerned for our livelihood. If the government will run electric buses for tourism purposes the next year, it will have a direct impact on us. We are feeding our families because of this profession.”

“We urge the government to provide an alternative to us and we are ready to convert our vehicles into CNG or battery operated if the government provides us assistance. It is the duty of the government to protect our rights because hundreds of families will be affected if the government fails to provide us any option,” he said.

There are 2,200 taxi operators in Manali, who are earning by ferrying tourists to Rohtang and other nearby destinations. Now, they fear that with the availability of electric buses, diesel or patrol vehicle may be banned as the NGT has issued strict directions to the state government to take effective measures to protect the ecology of the Rohtang Pass.

This year, the government had conducted trials of electric buses on the 51km-stretch of the Manali-Rohtang highway.

Transport Minister GS Bali, who flagged off a 24-seater bus from Manali, took the ride till Kothi, 14 km from Manali. However, the bus, filled to capacity, could not make it to Rohtang due to tyre puncture near Kothi and had to return to Manali in the first attempt.

Since 2013, the NGT had tightened its noose over the state government to protect the eco-sensitive Rohtang Pass where the snowcapped area was started turning black due to rising pollution.