Marhi, Rahla fall, Gulaba and many other places along Manali-Rohtang highway, which were closed for all kinds of vehicles in November following snowfall, have been reopened for tourists as snow has melted under the prevailing dry weather conditions. There is no snow in the lower areas near Manali. Hoteliers and taxi operators were demanding to reopen Rohtang pass during peak tourist season these days. Although travel to Rohtang is not safe, Kullu administration has ordered to reopen the highway upto Marhi, just below Rohtang pass from Wednesday onwards. Issuing orders, Kullu deputy commissioner Ashutosh Garg said the Manali-Rohtang highway was closed beyond Kothi on the recommendation of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and SDM Manali on November 21. “Manali SDM, DSP and BRO officials on December 21 had conducted a recce of the highway upto Marhi and found it suitable for general movement. The road was slippery at some places due to icing which has been cleared by BRO. The BRO has also agreed to help in traffic movement on the road until next snowfall,” he said. The DC said tourists and local taxi operators will have to adhere to some strict guidelines to be able to travel on this road. He said only four-wheel-drive vehicles will be allowed beyond Kothi between 10am and 4pm while other vehicles will be allowed after 12pm to 4pm. “The SDM and DSP at Manali will have the authority to suspend the traffic movement anytime after consultation with BRO to ensure public safety.” Tourists can see some snow in some shady areas near Beas nullah. Northern part of Rohtang pass has enough snow but administration will not allow vehicles to move beyond Marhi due to icing of the road. Also, in case of sudden snowfall, evacuation from Rohtang pass becomes very difficult. December month has
Marhi, Rahla fall, Gulaba and many other places along Manali-Rohtang highway, which were closed for all kinds of vehicles in November following snowfall, have been reopened for tourists as snow has melted under the prevailing dry weather conditions. There is no snow in the lower areas near Manali. Hoteliers and taxi operators were demanding to
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 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
With an aim to provide tourists with a unique and eco-friendly adventure sports experience, Himachal government has established a “sky cycling” park at an altitude of 9,300ft at Gulaba, just below Rohtang pass. Officials believe tourists will make a beeline to experience cycling at the park which is perhaps the world’s highest sky-cycling park at such an altitude. Tourists would be able to run the bicycle on 350m-long metal cable while getting a 360 degree view of Rohtang pass, snow-clad Dhauladhar, and Pir Panjal range and Beas river. To ensure maximum safety of the visitors, the activity is being developed under the supervision of Manali based Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS). The government is developing a “Prakriti Vatika” at Gulaba where forest department is spending lakhs of rupees. The vatika (garden) spread over a vast area has hundreds of trees of different species including pine, deodar, maple and Himalayan horse chestnut. Forest department is planting more species to make the garden unique and beautiful. The sky-cycling trek is being developed inside the prakriti vatika. ABVIMAS director Col Neeraj Rana on Thursday did a successful trial of sky cycling here along with the divisional forest officer Dr Neeraj Chadha. The cycling cable at some points is over 70f above the ground. Some local youth are being trained to operate this activity by the institute. The activity is expected to open for tourists by October. Officials said a 450m-long zip line, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trek, kids play area, picnic area, walking trail, yoga and meditation area, a waterfall, shopping area, camping site, snow games, rappelling, toilets and many other activities are also being developed inside the prakriti vatika. While some activities will be operated in winter season during snowfall, others can be enjoyed in rest of the
With an aim to provide tourists with a unique and eco-friendly adventure sports experience, Himachal government has established a “sky cycling” park at an altitude of 9,300ft at Gulaba, just below Rohtang pass. Officials believe tourists will make a beeline to experience cycling at the park which is perhaps the world’s highest sky-cycling park at
वन, परिवहन, युवा सेवाएं व खेल मंत्री गोविंद सिंह ठाकुर ने कहा कि रोहतांग दर्रा कुल्लू तथा लाहौल-स्पिति जिलों का ताज है और इसके वैभव को बनाए रखना अति आवश्यक है। उन्होंने कहा कि रोहतांग पर वर्ष में लगभग आठ महीनों तक बर्फ की एक बड़ी परत उपलब्ध रहती है, जो साहसिक गतिविधियों के लिए एक बेहतर माहौल प्रदान करती है। उन्होंने कहा कि हर वर्ष रोहतांग के दीदार को लाखों देशी व विदेशी सैलानी आते हैं जिससे यहां के पर्यटन को बढ़ावा मिलता है। गोविंद ठाकुर ने कहा कि यद्यपि प्रकृति ने रोहतांग को नैसर्गिक सौंदर्य से नवाजा है, लेकिन राज्य सरकार सैलानियों के लिए अतिरिक्त सुविधाओं के सृजन पर बल दे रही है। उन्होंने कहा कि रोहतांग दर्रे के आस-पास स्कीइंग, पैराग्लाईडिंग, स्नो स्कूटर आदि अनेक साहसिक गतिविधियों की संभावना मौजूद है और इसका समुचित दोहन किया जाएगा। उन्होंने कहा कि इससे पर्यटन को और पंख लगेंगे जिससे युवाओं को रोजगार के अवसर प्राप्त होंगे। वन व परिवहन मंत्री ने शुक्रवार को जनजातीय जिला लाहौल-स्पिति के दो दिवसीय प्रवास के उपरांत कुल्लू वापसी के दौरान रोहतांग, मढ़ी, गुलाबा और कोठी का दौरा किया। उन्होंने इन स्थानों पर ढांचागत विकास, पर्यटन और साहसिक खेल गतिविधियों की संभावनाओं का जायजा लिया तथा अधिकारियों को आवश्यक दिशा-निर्देश जारी किए। गोविंद सिंह ने कहा कि रोहतांग और इसके आस-पास के पर्यटक स्थलों के सौंदर्यीकरण तथा एनजीटी के निर्देशों की अनुपालना सुनिश्चित करने के लिए वन विभाग के माध्यम से विशेष कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं। गुलाबा में लगभग 45 लाख की लागत से नेचर पार्क विकसित किया जा रहा है। इसमें विभिन्न प्रजातियों के पेड़ लगाने के साथ-साथ पर्यटकों के लिए कई सुविधाएं मुहैया करवाई जाएंगी। यह पार्क कारगिल युद्ध के शहीदों को समर्पित किया जाएगा। नेचर पार्क सैलानियों तथा स्थानीय लोगों को अनेक सुविधाएं प्रदान करेगा। 12 हैक्टेयर में बनने वाले
वन, परिवहन, युवा सेवाएं व खेल मंत्री गोविंद सिंह ठाकुर ने कहा कि रोहतांग दर्रा कुल्लू तथा लाहौल-स्पिति जिलों का ताज है और इसके वैभव को बनाए रखना अति आवश्यक है। उन्होंने कहा कि रोहतांग पर वर्ष में लगभग आठ महीनों तक बर्फ की एक बड़ी परत उपलब्ध रहती है, जो साहसिक गतिविधियों के लिए
Kullu-Manali, where the government is promoting ecotourism, has witnessed unprecedented plantation in the last five years as people here have made it a mission to cover all available forest land with different species of trees. All this started after National Green Tribunal (NGT) slammed Himachal government and Kullu administration on various environmental issues multiple times. Concerned over the fragile ecology of Rohtang area being damaged by increasing tourism and increasing number of vehicles, NGT had asked state government to regulate tourism and plant trees. Lakhs of new saplings are being planted every year. Be it forest department, mahila mandal, yuvak mandal, panchayats, hoteliers, taxi operators, stakeholders or villagers, all are rushing for plantation during monsoon season. Burua panchayat of Manali alone has planted more than one lakh saplings in last few years. Both government and private schools have contributed to increase the green cover in the district. While the plantation drive was mostly influenced by environmentalists who are concerned over global warming, the drive was also meant for appeasing NGT as it was unhappy from pollution harming the ecology of Rohtang and nearby area. Over 60 thousand saplings planted below Rohtang in a couple of years earned Sarvottam Paudhropan Puraskar to the forest guard Neeraj Thakur. Kullu divisional forest officer Dr Neeraj Chadha, who helped in making plantation drive a mission in Kullu and implemented NGT order efficiently won Aranya Gaurav Puraskar from Himachal government. “Plantation has become a mission for people here. Be it students, women or elderly, all are coming forward for the green cause. Even these days plantation is continuing at multiple places. Local women are playing an important role. We are providing suitable species to the people and are protecting the area under new plantation by fencing,” DFO Dr Neeraj Chadha said. The mahila mandals in
Kullu-Manali, where the government is promoting ecotourism, has witnessed unprecedented plantation in the last five years as people here have made it a mission to cover all available forest land with different species of trees. All this started after National Green Tribunal (NGT) slammed Himachal government and Kullu administration on various environmental issues multiple times.
Rohtang pass, which was closed since December following winter snowfall, will open for tourists from June 1 as Kullu administration on Wednesday decided to throw open pass after ensuring safety and all necessary arrangements for lakhs of visitors. Lakhs of tourists from the country were waiting for the opening of Rohtang pass, the top tourist destination of Himachal Pradesh. Tourists will get a chance to have fun in 5 to 20ft of pure white snow. The peak summer tourist season in Himachal starts after the opening of Rohtang pass. Kullu deputy commissioner Yunus said Tourists can now go to Rohtang pass from June 1. “The road to pass was opened on May 19 but it will open for tourists from June 1. Tourists will have to obtain permit for their vehicle to be able to go to Rohtang pass. Following National Green Tribunal order, permits to 1,300 vehicles are being issued for each day. However, the pass will remain closed every Tuesday for maintenance purpose,” he said. Hoteliers, taxi operators, tourists and local residents were demanding to thrown open Rohtang pass as soon as possible. Opening of the road to Rohtang was delayed by about three weeks due to heavy snowfall this season. Since Border Roads Organization (BRO) cleared snow from Manali-Rohtang road, vehicles are plying through a deep gallery with high walls of snow on both sides. The narrow road can accommodate only one vehicle at a time. Allowing tourists would have jammed the pass completely. “We have deployed JCB to clear snow to make adequate parking space for tourist vehicles. This task is very difficult. Currently, tourists are being allowed till Marhi and Beas nullah where lakhs of tourists have already visited this season,” Yunus added. The taxi drivers are being given garbage bags which they will keep
Rohtang pass, which was closed since December following winter snowfall, will open for tourists from June 1 as Kullu administration on Wednesday decided to throw open pass after ensuring safety and all necessary arrangements for lakhs of visitors. Lakhs of tourists from the country were waiting for the opening of Rohtang pass, the top tourist
देश-विदेशों से कुल्लू-मनाली आने वाले हजारों पर्यटकों के लिए यह अच्छी खबर है कि अब वे बर्फीली चादर ओढे़ विश्व प्रसिद्ध रोहतांग दर्रे का दीदार कर सकेंगे। कुल्लू के उपायुक्त यूनुस ने रोहतांग दर्रे को पर्यटकों को खोलने के लिए अनुमति प्रदान कर दी है। अब एक जून से पर्यटक वाहन रोहतांग तक जा सकेंगे। यूनुस ने कहा कि राष्ट्रीय हरित अधिकरण एनजीटी के नियमों की पालना करते हुए रोहतांग दर्रे के लिए प्रतिदिन 1300 वाहनों को ही अनुमति प्रदान की जा सकती है। इसके लिए उन्हें आॅन लाईन परमिट प्राप्त करने की सुविधा उपलब्ध करवाई गई है। उन्होंने रोहतांग जाने के इच्छुक पर्यटकों व अन्य लोगों से आॅन-लाईन परमिट प्राप्त करने को कहा है ताकि उन्हें किसी प्रकार की असुविधा न हो। गौरतलब है कि रोहतांग दर्रा भारी बर्फबारी के चलते गत दिसम्बर माह में यातायात के लिए बंद हो गया था। इसे हाल ही में 19 मई को बहाल किया गया और अब पहली जून से इसे पर्यटकों के लिए भी खोल दिया जाएगा। उपायुक्त ने कहा कि जिले में पर्यटन सीजन चरम पर है। बर्फ के रोमांच का आनन्द लेने के लिए हर रोज देश के सभी भागों से तथा विदेशों से हजारों की संख्या में सैलानी आ रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि स्थानीय लोगों, सैलानियों, टैक्सी यूनियनों, होटल यूनियनों से हर रोज रोहतांग पर वाहनों की आवाजाही की अनुमति के लिए आग्रह पर रोहतांग दर्रें तथा सड़क के दोनों ओर बर्फ की मोटी परत को हटवाकर पार्किंग की व्यवस्था की गई है। इसके लिए सीमा सड़क संगठन ने युद्ध स्तर पर कार्य किया है। उन्होंने कहा कि रोहतांग बहाल होने के बाद बड़ी संख्या में वाहनों के लिए पार्किग की उपयुक्त व्यवस्था बनाना एक बड़ी चुनौती है, क्योंकि सड़क के दोनों ओर पर्याप्त जगह नहीं है। यूनुस ने बताया कि ब्यास नाला व मढ़ी तक यातायात पहले ही बहाल कर दिया
देश-विदेशों से कुल्लू-मनाली आने वाले हजारों पर्यटकों के लिए यह अच्छी खबर है कि अब वे बर्फीली चादर ओढे़ विश्व प्रसिद्ध रोहतांग दर्रे का दीदार कर सकेंगे। कुल्लू के उपायुक्त यूनुस ने रोहतांग दर्रे को पर्यटकों को खोलने के लिए अनुमति प्रदान कर दी है। अब एक जून से पर्यटक वाहन रोहतांग तक जा
After Kullu administration had established a check-post to regulate number of vehicles going to Rohtang pass at Gulaba in compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, another check post has been established at Kothi village, 14km from here to strictly adhere to the order. The administration is receiving many complaints about people crossing Gulaba barrier illegally. The fingers were raised at functionality of the check-post as the staff was allowing more than permissible number of vehicles. Manali administration also caught many vehicles red-handed and fined them heavily. As all vehicles are checked for permit at Gulaba, the slow processing speed here was resulting in over 5km-long jams. The new check-post at Kothi, 10km before Gulaba, will assist the Gulaba check-post and will stop the illegal entry of the vehicles. All the vehicles going to Marhi, Rohtang pass, Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti or Pangi will have to first show their permit at Kothi check-post. Those having a valid permit will be allowed to proceed to Gulaba. Manali sub-divisional magistrate Ashwani Kumar said the vehicles will be first stopped at Kothi barrier which will also help in controlling the traffic at Gulaba and till Rohtang. “I had called a meeting where officials from all the departments were present on Monday. We discussed on various issues including functionality of Gulaba check-post and traffic jams. The barrier established at Kothi has been made functional,” he said. Talking about illegal plying of vehicles in contempt of NGT order, Ashwani said the new check post will cross check the illegal entry of such vehicles and those not complying with order would not be spared. “We are strictly complying with NGT directives. We have warned people that if anything wrong is found, the offenders will be dealt with strictly. If anybody try to make us fool by disobeying tribunal
After Kullu administration had established a check-post to regulate number of vehicles going to Rohtang pass at Gulaba in compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, another check post has been established at Kothi village, 14km from here to strictly adhere to the order. The administration is receiving many complaints about people crossing Gulaba barrier
Away from the heat of Lok Sabha elections, hundreds of tourists on Wednesday enjoyed unexpected summer snowfall at Gulaba, 23km from Manali. While mercury in many parts of the country has jumped above 40 degrees Celsius, the peaks of Himachal are still getting fresh snow. The temperature in many parts of Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts of Himachal has plunged close to freezing point. The snowfall in mid-April has thrilled the hundreds of tourists at Gulaba near Manali. Gulaba, on the foothills of Rohtang pass, was opened for tourists on Tuesday after a gap of four months. Gulaba received 5cm fresh snow while Rohtang pass is expected to have received nearly 15cm snow. Parts of Lahaul valley also received some snowflakes. Border Roads Organization (BRO) had cleared snow till Marhi, 17km short of Rohtang pass. The fresh snowfall has affected the snow clearance operations. BRO wants to resume traffic on Manali-Rohtang-Keylong highway before election on May 19. Snowfall on high hills and rains in lower parts have triggered cold in upper Himachal. In Manali, residents have brought out sweaters and jackets from the closets. Tourists staying in hotels were demanding for room heaters. Manali sub-divisional magistrate Ashwani Kumar said tourists are allowed to go till Gulab where they can enjoy snow. "There is no limit on number of vehicles and no permit is required to go till Gulaab. Once vehicles are allowed to go beyond Gulaba, only 1,300 tourist vehicles would be given the permit on daily basis. Gulaba has enough snow for tourists," he said. While snowfall has brought cheer among tourists and hoteliers, it has worried the fruit growers. "Our apple orchards are under full blossom. A sudden drop in temperature is lethal for the crop. We pray almighty that snowfall on hills and drop in temperature
Away from the heat of Lok Sabha elections, hundreds of tourists on Wednesday enjoyed unexpected summer snowfall at Gulaba, 23km from Manali. While mercury in many parts of the country has jumped above 40 degrees Celsius, the peaks of Himachal are still getting fresh snow. The temperature in many parts of Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and
