BRO restores Rohtang Pass, traffic to resume after 2 days

Abhinav Vashisht
Kullu, May 29

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored the 13,058-foot high Rohtang Pass today. 38 Border Road Task Force (BRTF) Commander Col Uma Shankar said that traffic on the pass would resume after two days, as the work of road maintenance and making adequate parking spaces was underway.

He added that the work to clear snow was undertaken round the clock and the pass was restored due to the relentless efforts of the BRO personnel.

Meanwhile, the stakeholders of the tourism industry have thanked the government and the BRO for restoring the Rohtang Pass, which is a major attraction for tourists. The visitors enjoy various adventure activities at the pass, besides the scenic view. Snow is witnessed on the pass till the end of June.

Local residents had also urged the government to restore the Manali-Rohtang road so that the tourist hotspot does not lose its appeal. The livelihood of a large number of people is dependent upon tourist arrival at the Rohtang Pass. The tourism industry stakeholders are hopeful that the region would witness tourist arrival once the second wave of Covid subsides.

During the peak tourist season, 1,200 vehicles having online permits are allowed to cross the Gulaba barrier for tourism purposes, as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to protect the fragile ecology of the region.

Manali SDM Raman Gharsangi said that tourists would be allowed with the condition to follow the Covid protocols and the prevailing government guidelines. He added that permitted commercial activities could also take place. The administration would provide permits manually, as only a few tourists were visiting Manali. He added that the system of online permits could be restored later, if required.

The permit for light motor vehicles and medium utility vehicles is available for Rs 550 and for heavy motor vehicles for Rs 600, including the congestion charges of Rs 50 and Rs 100, respectively.

Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents Association president Budhi Parkash Thakur said that the Rohtang Pass is a world famous tourist destination and the backbone of the tourism industry in Manali. He added that tourists prefer to visit Kothi, Gulaba and Marhi during the winter as well and efforts should be made to keep the flow of tourist traffic smooth till the snowpoint on the Manali-Rohtang road throughout the year. He said that online permits should be provided to avoid crowding to seek manual permits.