Movement of vehicles restricted towards Rohtang Pass till Jan 15

Due to the road construction work being carried out by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), traffic will be allowed only till 11 am for vehicles going from the Kothi police check-post to Rohtang Pass from November 5 to January 15, 2025.

Issuing an order to this effect, Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh said due to the limited working days due to snowfall, traffic would remain closed between 12 noon to 4 pm every day between Kothi and Rohtang Pass.

There is no habitation beyond Kothi, except for the eco-friendly market in Marhi.

Generally every year, the Pass is officially closed on November 15 to vehicular movement, but sometimes vehicles ply till there as there is no accumulation of snow and the road is cleared by the BRO. Even last year, vehicles were allowed to go to the top till November 26, as the weather remained favourable. The vehicular movement is generally restored in the last week of May with the onset of summer and this year vehicles were allowed till Marhi on May 16, and beyond that from May 24.

The Rohtang Pass is a major tourist attraction for visitors to Manali for enjoying snow on the Pass from May to November. Various adventure activities are available for the visitors in the tourist spot. To conserve the fragile ecology of the region, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had restricted a maximum of only 1,200 vehicles (800 petrol and 400 diesel) toward the Rohtang Pass every day. Online permits are available through a website by paying Rs 550 per vehicle to go beyond the Gulaba barrier.

The beneficiaries of the tourism industry have been urging that the cap on the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass should be increased. They said during season time, approximately 5,000 vehicles come daily to Manali. They added that Rohtang Pass is the favourite destination of tourists, but many visitors remain deprived of visiting the place due to the cap on the number of vehicles. They alleged that some taxi operators having permits fleece tourists and it had encouraged black marketing.

Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal president Anup Ram Thakur said now most vehicles going to Lahaul go through the Atal Tunnel after its opening in October 2020 and vehicle pressure had reduced towards Rohtang. He said the government should approach the NGT with this fact and plead to review the cap on the number of vehicles. He said Rohtang Pass is the backbone of the tourism industry of Manali and all efforts should be made to maintain its grandeur.

Thakur added alternatively, the government should promote ropeways in pristine inaccessible destinations near Manali like Manjnu Kot, Chanderkhani, Baragarh Fort, Rani Sui Lake, Inder Kila and Pandu Ropa. He added that over exploitation of eco-fragile spots through mass tourism should be checked and tourists should be provided various alternatives for a memorable stay.