No cabs, Manali tourists left in the lurch

Dushyant Singh Pundir and Abhinav Vashisht

Tribune News Service

Mandi/Kullu, May 20

Thousands of tourists have confined themselves to the town in absence of transport facilities in Manali for the past two days.

All commercial vehicles remained off the road on the second day of the strike today. The strike call was given by autorickshaw, taxi and luxury bus unions against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order.

Most tourists visited the places which were within the walking distance. The tourists depend on taxis to visit Gulaba, the Solang Valley, Marhi, Manikaran, Hidimba and Vashist temples and other destinations.

Anoop Majumdar, who had come from West Bengal with his family, said they had come to see snow. What is the use of spending thousands of rupees when we cannot visit the destinations of our choice?,” he said, adding that for the past two days, they had been left with no option than to take a walk in the town.Ajay Nayar, a resident of Gurgaon, said he along with his friends had come to see snow-clad mountains, but they could not venture out of the town. He said the trip had turned out to a bitter experience.

An expert associated with the the tourism industry said the strike might have an adverse impact not only on the present tourist season, but on the average annual visitors as well.

Vinay, an entreprenuer at Manali, stated that while tourists coming in private vehicles from outside were lucky to visit snow points, many others were left stranded here. He added that while the inflow of tourists was still good, the present scenario might have adverse impact.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar said efforts were on to persuade commercial vehicle operators to restore their service. He said alternative transport facilities for the tourists and especially for the Rohtang region were being explored.

He said the charges were being collected from all private and commercial vehicles which enter the eco-sensitive Rohtang region for the purpose of tourism, including Lahaul and Leh-bound vehicles. He said only residents and vehicles of the tribal regions connected through the Rohtang Pass were exempted from the charges as per the directions of the NGT.

SC to hear appeal against cess

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear an appeal by Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators' Union against the environmental cess of Rs 2,500 on diesel vehicles and Rs 1,000 on petrol vehicles for each trip between Manali and Rohtang Pass. A Vacation Bench comprising Justices AK Sikri and UU Lalit said the Union's plea would be heard on May 25. Appearing for the Union, senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija said it was unfair to impose such a hefty cess on taxis which charged only Rs 1,500 from tourists as normal fare for each trip. No such cess was levied on private vehicles and those of the army, she pleaded. The cess has been imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). According to the Union, the cess would affect the livelihood of over 1,500 taxi drivers and their families. Makhija said taxi operators had income only in summers when tourists visit the area and as such were not in a position to pay the cess.— OC