Admn gears up to tackle heavy tourist rush in Kullu & Manali

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, April 14

The Kullu district administration is all geared up for the upcoming tourist season. It is expected that Kullu and Manali will witness a considerable increase in tourist footfall in the coming days as compared to previous years because of the ongoing unrest in J&K.

Hoteliers of Kullu-Manali have urged the district administration to make proper parking arrangements to avoid traffic chaos in Manali town.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Yunus Khan has directed the officials concerned to set up mobile toilets at Solang, Marhi and the Rohtang Pass for the convenience of tourists. Solang valley is open for tourist activity, while Marhi and Rohtang will be opened in the coming days as soon as the Border Roads Organisation will restore the pass for vehicular traffic.

“To ensure cleanliness at Solang, Gulaba, Marhi and the Rohtang Pass, the district administration has approved Rs21 lakh. To keep a tab on the movement of taxi operators this year, all taxis will be equipped with GPS. Taxi operators have been asked to keep bags inside vehicles so as to check tourists from throwing garbage in the open. Violators will be penalised,” he said.

“The authorities are thinking of making the newly constructed Marhi market functional. Police personnel and tourism officials have been directed to install warning and information boards near the Beas,” he said. The DC said it was observed that illegal structures had been raised at various places along roadside, which was a big cause of traffic jams. The SDMs concerned have been asked to remove these structures without any delay. “We are fully prepared and necessary arrangements will be made. Snow clearance operation is in progress towards the Rohtang Pass,” he said.

Hoteliers of Kullu-Manali are elated with the increase in tourist influx in Kullu-Manali these days, which was below 15 per cent during the winters. Anup Thakur, president, Hoteliers’’’’ Association Kullu-Manali, said the occupancy of rooms in hotels had increased.

PARKING ARRANGEMENTS

It is expected that Kullu and Manali will witness a considerable increase in tourist footfall in the coming days as compared to previous years because of the ongoing unrest in J&K. Hoteliers of Kullu-Manali have urged the district administration to make proper parking arrangements to avoid traffic chaos in Manali town.