Rohtang pass, country’s first tourist destination that had faced National Green Tribunal (NGT) wrath to prevent it from becoming crowdiest hill station, is no more tourists’ choice thanks to new tourist destinations Lahaul and Atal tunnel.
Majority of tourists used to visit Himachal only to see Rohtang pass until last year. Now that Lahaul valley is easily accessible through Atal tunnel, Rohtang pass seems to have been forgotten by both tourists and state government. Tourists now visit the state with two major destinations in mind – Atal tunnel and Lahaul.
Not just Rohtang pass, Marhi, Beas nullah, Gulaba, Kothi and other places on the way to this 13,050ft high mountain pass are no more in the wish list of the visitors. Although the road to Rohtang is blocked with snow, tourists are not taking any interest in visiting its lower areas including Gulaba, the famous picnic spot.
“Very few tourists used to visit Manali and other parts of Himachal when road to Rohtang pass used to be closed. Now when Manali-Rohtang pass highway is closed, thousands of tourists are visiting this hill town only because of tunnel and Lahaul valley. Tourist crowd decreases suddenly if road to Atal tunnel and Lahaul is blocked after snowfall but it increases when road is open for tourists. Only a few tourists are enquiring about Rohtang pass,” a hotelier Rakesh Thakur said.
After thousands of tourist vehicles were reaching Rohtang pass every day, NGT had to take a tough stand including restricting number of vehicles going to the pass for tourism purpose to 1,200 daily. The decision resulted in hues and cries among both local stakeholders and tourists. A private firm that will establish a ropeway to the pass had to face public protests, especially from local taxi operators, for last many years. As Rohtang has been forgotten by all in just four months since its inauguration on October 3 last year, nobody talks about various issues that have connection with the pass.
A local taxi driver Suraj Negi said, “This is not that we are promoting the tunnel and Lahaul or we have lost interest in Gulaba or Rohtang pass, but tourists are booking taxis only for the tunnel and Lahaul. We suggest them visiting Gulaba, where they can see more snow than other places, but they only want to see the tunnel that they saw while Modi inaugurated it. The picturesque Lahaul valley, covered with snow, has made tourists crazy for it. Still we believe that at least 50 per cent of the tourists will want to visit Rohtang pass in summer season when snow will disappear in other places.”
According to hoteliers, taxi operators and travel agents, Rohtang pass used to be the most talked about word in Himachal until October 2020 when tunnel was opened for general public. They say, “Rohtang” word has now almost disappeared and Atal tunnel and Lahaul are the new most talked about words of the state.
Comments