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Reality check: Himachal tourist towns struggle to cope with rush
With Kashmir in turmoil, Himachal’s tourist destinations of Shimla, Manali, McLeodganj and Dalhousie are gearing up for the summer tourist onslaught; but the govt needs to boost facilities in these towns that are already battling water shortage, lack of parking space, fleecing by restaurants and taxi owners
With Kashmir in turmoil, Himachal’s tourist destinations of Shimla, Manali, McLeodganj and Dalhousie are gearing up for the summer tourist onslaught; but the govt needs to boost facilities in these towns that are already battling water shortage, lack of parking space, fleecing by restaurants and taxi owners.
What will they drink, where will they park?
Tourists have already started flocking to Shimla, one of the coolest hilly ‘hot spots’ in the country with hotel occupancy in the last one week shooting up by 5% to 10% despite a severe water crisis.
Water supply, which has dipped drastically over the last 13 days, is now being rationed by the municipal corporation (MC) and supplied once in three days.
Some localities, however, are facing severe shortage and going without water five days a week. The town requires 45 MLD of water daily and is gettingonly 29 to 33 million litres (MLD) a day.
“The MC has pressed water tankers into service,” says corporation commissioner Rohit Jamwal. Hoteliers have engaged private water tankers. “There is a dire need to regulate the water supply in town, otherwise we will all suffer and be forced to engage private tankers,” says Harman Kukreja, president, Shimla Hotel and Restaurateurs Association Despite the problem the tourism department is gearing up for the crowds. “We will keep tabs on hotels so that the tourists are not overcharged for the rooms,” says Shimla district tourism officer Shushil Justa.
The tourism information centre will remain open from 10 am to 7 pm (instead of 5 pm) for tourists to register complaints, he adds.
Parking, always a problem, is likely to get messier too as the town, which can just accommodate 2,600 vehicles is already clogged with around 14,000 registered vehicles, including
those from the surrounding areas. “This time we have deputed a gazetted officer just to regulate the traffic and parking problems,” says superintendent of police Omapati Jamwal .
Deputy commissioner Amit Kashyap has already convened a meeting with officers directing them to ensure that tourists don’t face much inconvenience.
Traffic to bypass town, admn to keep an eye on eateries, hotelsEstablished by British Governor General Lord Dalhousie in 1854 as a summer retreat and named after him, Dalhousie town in the Dhauladhar mountains is the next best choice for tourists after Shimla and Manali.
Being close to Khajjiar, the mini-Switzerland of Himachal and Kalatop wildlife sanctuary, the small hill town also serves as a transit point for tourists headed for the aforementioned destinations.
Like other hill-towns, Dalhousie too is grappling with traffic congestion and lack of parking space. Deputy superintendent of police Sahil Arora says they have come up with a traffic plan for the peak tourist season.
“A one-way traffic system already exists. Heavy vehicles going to Khajjiar will be diverted from outside the town,” he says.
To overcome the parking problem, open spaces are being earmarked. “We are also yellow-lining the roads and wherever possible parking slots will be provided,” adds Arora.
Hoteliers have also been directed to ensure their clients park within the premises.
The administration has geared up to check overpricing by eateries and taxis.
Sub-divisional magistrate Murari Lal says a joint team of administration and tourism department will keep a check on such problems.
“Tourists can complain to the tourism official at the information centre and strict action will be taken against the violators,” he adds.
Tenders being floated to create more parking space The sleepy hill town, especially McLeodganj close by, home to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, is also facing a severe parking shortage even as the administration claims it’s better prepared to manage water supplies this
summer.
Admitting to the parking crisis, Dharamshala’s deputy mayor Devinder Jaggi says “Yes, parking is the biggest problem here. Most of the tourists head to McLeod Ganj where a majority of hotels don’t have space for vehicles.” To accommodate incoming vehicles over the next few weeks, Jaggi says the Dharamshala municipal corporation has floated small tenders for parking space.
Individuals owning open space can bid for and get the contract for this season. They can charge the fee fixed by the civic body, he adds.
“This will help us take care of the parking problem,” he says, adding that the public parking at Bhagsunag with its famous Shiva temple close by is being expanded while a bigger parking is already open near the Dalai Lama temple.
For traffic decongestion, the Kangra superintendent of police Santosh Patial says a special plan has been made for McLeodganj.
“Dharamshala does not have much of a traffic problem. For McLeodganj, where needed, one-way traffic will apply,” he adds. Police presence in the hill town has also been increased, he adds.
To stop overcharging by restaurants and taxis, deputy commissioner Sandeep Kumar says that the district administration has fixed the diet rate and taxi fares. “Those found fleecing the visitors will be dealt with strictly,” he warns.
