Manali hoteliers oppose ropeway to Rohtang Pass

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 16

Hoteliers of Manali have opposed the move of the state government to set up ski resorts and ropeway to Rohtang Pass in Manali. They said that this will affect the livelihood of the local people.

The government had signed MoUs worth Rs 1,000 crore with three leading companies for investment in the state. The MoUs were signed in New Delhi on July 11 where CM Jai Ram Thakur and Industries Minister Bikram Singh had held one-on-one meetings with 18 industrial houses.

One of the MoUs has been signed with an aviation company which will invest Rs 500 crore on ropeways, ski resort, heli ski, heli taxi and heli safari projects. Under this project, the company will develop ski resorts at those places which experience heavy snowfall.

Anup Thakur, president of the Hoteliers Association, Kullu-Manali, told The Tribune: “The hoteliers of Kullu-Manali will oppose any ski resort project in the district because it will directly impact the business of hotel industry here. Apart from hoteliers, home stay owners in the district will also be the sufferers.”

He said earlier there was a proposal to set up ski village in Kullu district, which was opposed by then BJP leader Maheshwar Singh, Chander Sen Thakur along with local people. Finally the project was cancelled by the state government. But now, the state government was trying again to do the same, which is not in the interest of local stake holders, who are associated with tourism industry here.

“We are in favour of setting up ropeway projects in those tourist places, where access for tourists is difficult. We want ropeways in new tourist destinations in Kullu-Manali like Bhrigu Lake, Chanderkhani pass, Sui Bai and a few other places, which remain snowbound round the year. Why the state government is keen to set up a ropeway between Palchan and Rohtang Pass at the cost of nature? Thousands of trees will be cut to set up this ropeway, which will also harm the ecology of area”, he said.

“We urge the government to set up ropeways to unexplored places in Kullu-Manali to boost tourism sector in the district. We are against setting up any ski resorts in Manali and its vicinity. Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur, who is an MLA from Manali Assembly segment, should look into the matter because he had also opposed the proposal of Rohtang ropeway,” he said.