Tourists Entering Kasol, Manikaran Will Now Have to Pay Development Fee

The visit to tourist hotspots Kasol and Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district will become more costly. The district administration has decided to collect development fees from vehicles coming from outside the state. A barrier has been set up by the district administration at a distance of about 2 km from Kasol. No fee will be charged from the owners of vehicles registered in Himachal Pradesh. An order in this regard has been issued by the administration.

This comes after the members of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) in Manikaran held a meeting wherein they passed a resolution that the development fee would be levied on vehicles coming from outside the state. The amount collected will be used for providing the basic facilities in the area.

Now, an order in this regard has been issued by Kullu Deputy Commissioner and Manikaran SADA chairman Ashutosh Garg. The order which came into effect from today has been issued by the commissioner under the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act.

According to the order, the entry fee for a two-wheeler is Rs 50, for car it is Rs 100, for SUV and MUV it is Rs 300. An amount of Rs 500 will be charged for all types of buses and trucks passing through.

In Kullu, besides Kasol, Manikaran has become a favorite spot among foreigners. The famous gurdwara in Manikaran attracts a large number of pilgrims from Punjab. For years, the hot water springs in both places have remainined a major attraction for visitors. These destinations, however, lack sewage treatment plants and scientific garbage disposal units.

Garg said that funds are needed to create basic facilities for environmental protection and development of Kasol and Manikaran. He said the funds generated from theb toll would be utilised to preserve the environment, create basic facilities and undertake other development works in the region.

He also said that the administration will also initiate steps for the proper disposal of solid and liquid waste in Kasol and Manikaran.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.