Permits for Lahaul-Spiti & Leh-Ladakh on Sunday also

M C Thakur

Manali, July 17

Tourists visiting the tribal districts of Lahaul – Spiti and Leh-Ladakh are being facilitated to obtain the permission even on Sunday at the SDM office here. After opening of the Manali- Leh and Manali- Spiti roads for vehicular traffic, the tourists visiting these areas are increasing by the day. In compliance of the orders of the National Green Tribunal the Kullu administration is issuing permits to visit Lahaul and Spiti and Leh-Ladakh accordingly.

“Atithi Devo Bhava”. As per the concept, the guests have to be treated like god, to be respected, welcomed, served and taken care of by all means. To promote the eco-friendly tourism in Himachal, the government is taking care to facilitate the tourists. The decision of the district administration to open its office on Sunday for issuing permission to visitors here in the tourist town of Manali has been welcomed by all.

Sub Divisional Magistrate, Manali, Jyoti Rana said that in order to ensure that tourists visiting these areas do not suffer and waste time in obtaining permission for visiting the Buddhist circuit tours of Lahaul- Spiti- Kinnaur and Leh-Ladakh , permission would be given even on Sunday. This would help in giving a boost to the tourism in the state, she added.

The Government of India threw open the Manali-Leh road to foreign visitors in 1989 whereas the tribal belts of Spiti and Kinnaur were opened to overseas tourists in 1992.The tribal belt of Himachal Pradesh is known as cold deserts. This circuit is becoming very popular among foreigners as well as domestic tourists for its historical Buddhist monasteries and beautiful landscape.

Motor biking, jeep safaris and cycling are becoming more and more popular on these mountainous roads. Since the Manali - Leh road is one of the highest roads in the world, adventure lovers always choose the ride through these particular roads for thrill and adventure tourism.