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Tourist vehicles with no prior parking arrangement stopped from entering Nainital, HC told
Such tourists can leave their vehicles outside the district borders and take a shuttle service that the administration has launched to enter into the hill station
Tourists who have not ensured parking spaces for their vehicles at the hotels and resorts where they intend to stay are not being allowed to enter Nainital, the local administration on Wednesday informed the Uttarakhand High Court.
Nanital’s district magistrate and senior superintendent of police informed the court that such tourists can leave their vehicles outside the district borders and take the shuttle service that the administration has launched to enter into the hill station, government counsel MC Pandey, who has been appointed as the amicus curiae in the case, said.
Pandey said the district administration informed the court that they have published advertisements in local and national dailies regarding the fact that those who plan to visit Nainital, should first ensure that they have parking arrangements at the hotels and resorts here where they intend to stay.
The senior lawyer said that the administration also informed the court that the work on the laying of the optical fibre cables in Nainital, which had not been completed by the contractor within the scheduled time, has been stopped and public works departments and Nainital municipality was carrying out the repair and reclamation work on the incomplete stretch.
The court will next hear the case on Monday.
Meanwhile, the traders and travel operators in Nainital have begun protesting against the tough measures initiated by the district administration claiming that it would affect their business and hamper the tourist inflow into the hill station.
Kishen Negi, president, Malital Vyapar Mandal, said they will hold protests ver next few days and call for Nainital Bandh on June 17.
Negi said tourists should not be restricted from coming to Nainital, adding that it was the duty of the government to ensure construction of big parking spaces within and on the outskirts of Nainital.
The HC had in April directed the authorities to advertise prominently in at least four national newspapers and channels clearly stating that those coming to Nainital with their own vehicles should first make advance arrangements for parking.
HC had on Monday issued show cause notices to district magistrate, SSP, secretary district development authority and executive officer Nainital municipality for not complying with its earlier order regarding traffic management. The officials were asked to reply within a week as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for not implementing the court’s directions meant to improve the traffic management in Nainital.
