1000 vehicles to ply on Rohtang Pass

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By:Himvani

District Kullu Administration today notified National Green Tribunal’s recent order to cut down the number of vehicle to 1000 on environmentally sensitive zone Rohtang Pass from today onward. Moreover it had decided to slap four times congestion charges from those who would violate this notification.

Mr. Rakesh Kawnar, Deputy Commissioner Kullu said in a notification issued today that the congestion charges are to be collected from all commercial vehicles. It has also confirmed to strictly enforce the NGT order high vigil would be keep on tourists, commercial and non tourists vehicles every day.

Not a single vehicle would be allowed from stipulated 1000 on the snow pass every day as administration has fixed a quota of convey of 60% for commercial vehicles and 40% for tourists vehicle to be allowed on the pass. Out of those 60% commercial vehicles 10% to be from Himachal Pradesh only. It would allow 60% petrol driven and 40% diesel vehicle and in case diesel vehicles remains below 400 on any given day then in that case petrol vehicles could be replaced on the pass not exceeding 1000.

Among the tourists vehicle administration has decided to allow 50% vehicles from Kullu district and 10% from other districts of Himachal Pradesh and 30% from other states. Tourist vehicles could ply from 0600 hrs to 1200 hrs from Gulaba check-post toward Rohtang Pass however no tourist vehicle could stay after 1600 hrs on the pass. The petrol vehicles are to be charged a congestion charge of Rupees 1000, Diesel Rupees 2500 per vehicle and Rupees 5000 for vehicles having more than six seating capacity.

Mr. Rakesh Kanwar has also informed that permit to Rohtang to be issued at SDM office Manali or at Gulaba check post. Local taxi operators and tourists could obtain the permit directly from SDM office at Manali. All the vehicles including non-tourists to be mandatorily register at Gulaba check post so that the actual number of vehicles plying on the pass could be calculated.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Can you please provide details if this is only for Rohtang Pass travel? What about vehicles going to Lahaul / Spiti / Leh from Manali over Rohtang Pass? They also need to take this permit. Another question is what about vehicles that will come from Leh or Spiti down to Manali from Rohtang Pass. will they be exempted?

    • Dear Sharma this is only for Rohtang Pass tourists including those who cross for Lahaul, Spiti or Leh from Manli via Rohtang Pass .

      Deputy Commissioner Kullu Mr. Rakesh Kanwer responded on your query that check post has been set up to keep eye on such commercial vehicles specially passing for Rohtang pass for tourism purpose. Local who hired taxi to cross other side could show their identity cards they would not be stop or charged . Those coming down from Leh or Spiti to Manali are also exempted from it.

      Rohtang is not normal road as number of snow water sources came down from the ecological fragile region. It keep open for six months in a year as becomes snow bound in the winter. Dear hope that Rohtang Tunnel would commission in coming days as about four kilometer tunnel is already dug up and rest four kilomter take two and half years.

      Hope tourists would enjoys this natural splendor with more ease in time to come. After commissioning of tunnel it may be completely shut for human use as every year it need lot of money from public exchequer and Herculean task to keep this open. As per earlier reports about 3500 tourist vehicles went from Rohtang in peak season .

      • Thank you so very much for the reply. I read the entire article and both the ruling of the NGT of Feb as well as May. Still I have just one confusion. If I want to go to Leh from Manali side over Rohtang Pass as a tourist, then do I need to take Rs 50 congestion charge permit from SDM office or do I need to pay Rs 1000 for my petrol vehicle or 2500 for my diesel vehicle. I do not want to go and stay at Rohtang Pass.

        Thank you.

  2. 1. The ban on Diesel and Petrol Tourist Vehicles would
    be kept in abeyance for the period of three months
    from 15th May, 2015 to 14th August, 2015 as prayed,
    however, subject to strict compliance with all the
    directions contained hereinafter:-
    a. State shall forthwith post team of Transport
    Department, Police and other concerned
    departments at Vashist and Gulaba with
    complete infrastructure and machinery
    forthwith.
    b. Every vehicle passing through either of these
    check posts would be subjected to online
    pollution check which shall be in any case
    computerized at the site itself. The vehicle
    permitted to pass through Rohtang Pass to
    ultimate destination and beyond, shall satisfy
    emission standards prescribed and it shall not
    be permitted to carry load in excess of
    permissible load. Entry records in this regard
    shall be online and computerised and same
    shall be produced before the Tribunal.
    c. Number of vehicles allowed to go to Rohtang
    Pass for tourism purposes shall be restricted
    to 1000 vehicles per day on first come and
    first serve basis.
    d. Out of 1000 vehicles allowed to pass every day
    as afore-indicated, 600 would be Petrol while
    400 would be Diesel Vehicles.
    e. All these vehicles would be subjected to
    pollution check and would qualify for
    issuance of a certificate at the check post for
    compliance of BS-IV standards. If emissions
    are found to be beyond the aforesaid
    permissible limits such vehicle will not be
    permitted to go to Rohtang Pass.
    f. Each of vehicle which is permitted to Rohtang
    Pass for tourism purpose shall pay
    environmental compensation at the rate of Rs.
    1000/- for Petrol vehicle and Rs. 2500/- for
    Diesel vehicle. Amount so collected shall be
    kept in the account under a separate head by
    the State Government and shall be utilized
    only for the purpose of restoration of ecology
    and environment in the said eco-sensitive
    area as per the directions of the Tribunal.
    g. Each vehicle which carries more than six
    passengers would be liable to pay
    compensation of Rs. 5000/- as environmental
    compensation. These charges are payable for
    single entry.
    h. State Government shall make proper
    arrangement and deploy appropriate staff enroute
    Vashist to Rohtang Pass to ensure that
    there is no traffic congestion.
    i. Supply of Gas in cascades through tankers
    will be provided at Nangal-Manali through the
    workable arrangement mutually agreed
    between GAIL and state of Himachal Pradesh.
    We have no doubt that both the State and
    Corporation would ensure its implementation.
    j. We direct State of Himachal Pradesh to take
    up the issue of devising methodology for
    providing BS-IV fuel in the State of Himachal
    Pradesh with Ministry of Petroleum.

  3. Thanks for the information shared. But still some queries remanined what about vehicles coming from Leh towards Manali. They have to cross Rohtang Pass to reach Manali. So please reply in this regard and what arrangements can be made to get permit incase permit is required. Lastly what is abeyance till 14/aug 2015. Pls elaborate. Thnks and regards.

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