Narrow Aut-Jalori Pass road a nightmare for tourists

pender Manta

Tribune News Ser2vice

Mandi, July 7

Traffic jams are a regular feature between Aut and the Jalori Pass on the National Highway No. 305 in Kullu district these days due to a rush of tourists visiting Jalori.

Banjar, Jibhi and Tirthan valleys are blessed with the bounty of nature. As the state government has lifted curbs, the tourist influx in Kullu, Manali and Banjar has increased.

Hem Raj Sharma, a resident of Banjar, says, “For the past few days, the number of tourists visting Jalori has increased drastically. As a result, commuters on the NH 305 are usually stuck in long traffic jams because the road at many places is narrow.”

“There is an urgent need to widen the road for smooth traffic flow. It will help boost tourism in the region,” he said.

Subedar MS Rathore (retd), president of the Seraj Tourism Development Association, says that the road connects Banjar and Anni with Aut in Mandi. Similarly, it also links Sainj in Rampur. “We have been urging the government since 2007 to widen the road but to no avail,” he adds.

The people of Banjar say MLA Surender Shourie should raise the issue with CM Jai Ram Thakur.