Charges for Rohtang Pass

[Rohit]

I have always thought that there are not any charges to go to the Rohtang Pass as it is just an area which you cross, but come to hear of it there are charges which are applied. Please can forum members clarify this information for me and if there are charges provide details of the charges.

 

[Divya]

I have recently been to Rohtang Pass (just two weeks back) and we did not have to pay any charges, so as far as I know there are no charges.

 

[Chahal]

NGT (National Green Tribunal) has imposed a charge of Rs1000 for petrol vehicles and Rs2500 for diesel private vehicles and for commercial vehicles that have 6+ seating capacity it would cost them Rs5000.

Transporters and taxi unions at Manali have declared a strike to oppose and they will also challenge the orders at Supreme court.

I personally find the charges to be excessive and will hurt the tourism industry badly especially the taxi operators. People will also cut their holidays short by a couple of days due to the Rohtang pass visit being too expensive. I wonder who would spend Rs5000 on top of what the taxi would charge just to see some snow. Only a select few I guess.

 

[Jessica_91]

Wow that is almost as high as the congestion charge people pay to get into London. That in my view is a lot of money and will bring down the number of tourists that go there. I have plans to go there in Late June but my plans are not going to be changed due to this charge but I hear that they have also restricted the number of vehicles that can go every day to 1000 so that might be a bit of a problem.

It would have been nice if the government would have started battery operated buses or smaller vehicles instead of imposing such high fees.

 

[Dhruv]

These costs are ridiculous! A family who own a 6+ seater car would have to pay Rs5000, the whole idea of going to Rohtang pass would be dropped I think, Rs1000 for a 6+ seater still would be a reasonable amount.

 

[Akshay]

I personally find the charges to be excessive and will hurt the tourism industry badly especially the taxi operators. People will also cut their holidays short by a couple of days due to the Rohtang pass visit being too expensive. I wonder who would spend Rs5000 on top of what the taxi would charge just to see some snow. Only a select few I guess.

Too right Chahal, tourism to Rohtang Pass will defiantly cut down, on top of a holiday hardly anyone will be willing to pay an extra Rs1000 and that too for just going to another location where you get to see a view and not get anything else.
I am glad I have already been...

 

[Chahal]

Local taxi operators have challenged the orders from NGT in court so there is a possibility of getting a stay on these charges for the time being until there is a verdict.

 

[Ronit]

Have these charges been put into place yet or not, as I need to plan my trip accordingly?

 

[KK]

Whoa, talk about ripping off tourists! This money which will be taken from tourists will go towards what?
The prices for the vehicles is way too high, look at the cost difference for each vehicle, it is most likely that there would be diesel cars there especially as many tourists take a taxi when on holiday.
For those looking for a budget holiday this new rule will put things down the drain especially if visiting Rothak Pass was on the list of places to visit.

 

[SharadKal]

The money will go to the National Green Tribunal.
I dont think the charges have been applied yet, as the case has been taken to court.

 

[briannagodess]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Here's an update about this issue:

• From July 2015 onwards, the decision of the National Green Tribunal to only allow up to 1,000 vehicles per day on Rohtang Pass still stands. Out of that 1,000 vehicles, 725 should be registered in Himachal and the remaining can be registered from outside states. Then, another breaking down of the numbers, 60% of the vehicles should be petrol and the other 40% can be diesel. Public transport buses and private vehicles as well as taxis are included in this number.

• Since July 2015, there are charges for congestion. This is Rs. 1,000 for petrol-operated vehicles, Rs. 2,500 for diesel-fueled vehicles and Rs. 5,000 for vehicles with more than six passengers. Motorcycles are charged Rs. 50 for the congestion fee.

• These rules apply for people or vehicles travelling mainly to Rohtang Pass. For vehicles passing over Rohtang to go to Leh, Spiti or Lahaul, these rules aren't applicable to you so long as you have the necessary permit proving you're going to the supposed destinations.

• You would still need to obtain a permit online which is the Tourism Purpose Permit for Rohtang Pass. It means you're going to be visiting Rohtang and not just passing by it. You need to apply three days in advance before your trip.

• As of May 2016 though, there were issues that only 400 petrol-operated vehicles were allowed to enter Rohtang Pass. This caused some issues as they stated that 600 petrol-operated vehicles and 400 diesel-operated vehicles can go to the said area. Other issues include: overcharging of taxis, difficulty getting permits and Manali officers helping tourists get in even without permits for a fee of course.

So there you go. I hope all this can be fixed though. I know they're looking out for the environment itself but they can do that without putting such charges on the tourists.