Permit up to Keylong, but bus never crosses Rohtang

Dipender Manta

Mandi, June 7

Throwing norms to the wind, a private bus operator is ferrying passengers only up to the Rohtang Pass despite having a permit till Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti. To pocket a healthy profit, the operator has put a large number of people residing in Keylong to inconvenience. Strangely, the district administration has not taken any action despite receiving several complaints.

“The Palampur-Keylong bus run by Ram Parivahan leaves Manali every day, but does not reach Keylong,” said residents. They said the bus had been running on the route for the past several years and the operator must be asked to ply the vehicle as per schedule.

It is following the restrictions imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the number of vehicles going to Rohtang that taxi operators and other vehicle owners try to hoodwink the local administration and the police. While taxis and tourist vehicles have to obtain a pass to go up to Rohtang after making the mandatory payment, for vehicles of residents of Lahaul-Spiti and buses having permits to ply on the route, there is no such requirement.

Regional manager of the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), Keylong, Rashid Shaik said they had received complaints that the bus was not going to the area.

HRTC regional manager, Kullu, Pawan Sharma said the bus left Kullu-Manali on time every day.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Manali, Jyoti Rana said, “I will ask the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) of Kullu to look in to the matter. If found guilty, appropriate action will be taken against the bus operator.”

Following the NGT ban, there have been several cases of fleecing of tourists by the taxi operators and others. Since the bus fare from Manali to Keylong is not high, the private bus operators ply vehicles only up to Rohtang for a good profit.