Marhi to open for tourists from today

Abhinav Vashisht

KULLU, MAY 18

Marhi, a famous tourist spot between Manali and Rohtang, will be thrown open for tourists from tomorrow.

The tourists will have to seek an online permit by paying Rs 550 to cross the Gulaba barrier. Only 800 petrol and 400 diesel vehicles will be allowed as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal. Electric vehicle owners are not required to seek a permit and the vehicles older than 10 years are not allowed.

Kullu DC Ashutosh Garg said the Manali SDM inspected the road yesterday after which, it was decided to allow the tourist vehicles up to Marhi. He said the BRO had cleared snow from the Manali-Rohtang-Koksar road and now it was undertaking snow clearance for parking at Rohtang Pass. The movement of tourist vehicles to Rohtang Pass will be allowed soon.

The Kullu administration had last year reopened tourist hotspot Marhi on April 15. However, this year the opening has been delayed as the weather remained adverse during March and April. The tourist vehicles were allowed only till the barrier at Gulaba so far. However, now there

is no snow at Gulaba and Marhi. Therefore, beneficiaries of the tourism industry have demanded that the tourists should be allowed to go till the snow point at Rahni Nala near Marhi.

An eco-friendly market having 16 stalls has been constructed at Marhi, which started functioning in October last year. All items of routine need and other basic amenities are available in this small but beautiful market.

The beneficiaries of the tourism industry have demanded that the cap on the number of vehicles going to Rohtang Pass should be raised. They said that during season time, approximately 5,000 vehicles come daily to Manali. The Rohtang Pass is the favourite destination of the tourists but many visitors are unable to visit the pass because of the cap on number of vehicles. They said that some taxi operators having permits fleece the tourists which was encouraging black marketing.

Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal president Anup Ram Thakur said that now most of the vehicles going to Lahaul go through the Atal Tunnel after its opening in October 2020 and the influx of vehicles to Rohtang had reduced. He said that the government should approach the NGT again and plead for review of the cap on the number of vehicles heading to Rohtang.

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