Fake permits being used to reach Marhi from Gulaba

pender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, May 20

In violation of the National Green Tribunal (NGT’s ) orders, taxi operators in Kullu and Manali and private vehicle owners are heading towards Marhi, near the Rohtang Pass, using fake permit.

According to the green tribunal’s orders, only 1,200 vehicles (800 petrol and 400 diesel) are allowed to the Rohtang Pass on the Manali-Leh highway daily for tourist activity. Further, only those taxis and private vehicles are allowed to cross the Gulaba barrier that have permit granted online by the Kullu administration. However, the number of vehicles heading towards Rohtang is exceeding the permissible limit.

According to information, the local administration has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on seven vehicle owners for illegally going towards Marhi using fake permits. Of these, five vehicles, including private, have been blacklisted and will not be granted permit for the time being.

Tourist hotspot Rohtang Pass was reopened on Saturday evening. Till now, tourist vehicles were allowed only up to Marhi, which is close to the pass.

Sources said since the permit to visit the area was granted to a limited number of vehicles on a daily basis, people were procuring fake online permit for the same.

The Manali administration grants separate permit to local people for carrying out tourism-related activities at the pass. However, it has come to the fore that people are misusing the same and illegally ferrying tourists to the Rohtang Pass.

Talking to The Tribune, SDM, Manali, Ashwani Kumar said it had come to their notice that local people were misusing the permit granted to them. “We have penalised seven offenders. Of these, five vehicles have been blacklisted and will not be allowed to cross the Gulaba barrier for the time being. The authorities are monitoring the situation. No illegal activity will be allowed and strict action will be taken against the offenders,” the SDM said.

The SDM said although the Rohtang Pass had been reopened, tourist activities were yet to resume. It would take some time to make necessary arrangements for the purpose.

What NGT orders say 

• According to the National Green Tribunal’s orders, only 1,200 vehicles (800 petrol and 400 diesel) are allowed to the Rohtang Pass on the Manali-Leh highway daily for tourist activity.  
• Further, only those taxis and private vehicles are allowed to cross the Gulaba barrier that have permit granted online by the Kullu administration. 
• However, the number of vehicles is now exceeding the permissible limit.