Come January 1, vehicles entering Lahaul and Spiti district to pay fee

Dipender Manta

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Mandi, December 29

Vehicles coming from different parts of the country, including Himachal Pradesh, will have to pay a Special Area Development Authority (SADA) fee when they enter Spiti block of Lahaul and Spiti district from January 1.

For this, a barrier is being established by the Kaza administration at Sumdo.

For managing waste

It was discussed (at a meeting of the Special Area Development Authority) that the tourist traffic is increasing day by day in the Spiti valley. Due to this, there is a financial shortage for solid waste management and sewage management in the Kaza and Tabo areas of Spiti block. Harsh Negi, SDM, Kaza

Kaza Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Harsh Negi said from January 1, every vehicle would have to pay the fee during every trip.

The SDM said, “A meeting of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) was held last month under the chairmanship of Lahaul and Spiti MLA Ravi Thakur. It was discussed that the tourist traffic was increasing day by day in the Spiti valley. Due to this, there is a financial shortage for solid waste management and sewage management in the Kaza and Tabo areas of Spiti block.”

“It was decided that in such a situation, a system of SADA fee should be introduced for the benefit of the public. According to the decision, private vehicles of the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA), Spiti, are exempted from this fee. If local residents of Spiti have their vehicles registered under any other RLA of the country, then, too, no fee will be charged from them. No fee will be charged from vehicles of residents of Sumra village, adjacent to Spiti, in Kinnaur district,” the SDM said.

“During the winter season, the SADA fee will be charged at Sumdo barrier and during the summer season, when the Kaza-Manali road opens, a barrier will also be installed at Losar for the purpose. Employees will be outsourced to collect the fee. For now, personnel of the Public Works Department will collect the fee,” he added.

“For two wheelers, the SADA fee will be Rs 100, for cars Rs 200, SUVs (such as Scorpio, maxi cab or other utility vehicles) as Rs 300 and for heavy vehicles is Rs 400,” he said.

“SADA is working to make Spiti clean and beautiful. Vehicles of Lahaul & Spiti district have been exempted from this fee. Taxi operators of Lahaul and Spiti will have to pay a SADA fee,” he said.

The SDM appealed to all tourists, including the people of Spiti, to extend their cooperation and support in this initiative of the administration.