Cabbies’ protest chokes Manali, 2k vehicles stranded
SHIMLA: Thousands of tourists were stranded for hours in a massive traffic jam due to a protest by taxi operators in Manali on Monday.
As per locals, around 2,000 vehicles were stranded near the tourist town.
Taxi operators are up in arms against the district administration over blacklisting of those operators who flout norms.
The administration has restricted number of vehicles going towards R oh tang Pass from Manali per day.
“Administration should levy fine instead of barring operators from plying their vehicles for a fortnight,” said a taxi operator Jeet Thakur.
Earlier, the operators had given a strike call for Monday. However, after talks with administration, they decided to not go ahead with it.
“We gave them time till evening to meet our demands. But no one bothered. So, we decided to block traffic,” said another taxi operator Ankit Dogra.
Kullu deputy commissioner Yunus told Hindustan Times that taxi operators’ demands were unjust and illegal. “If we meet their demands, it would be violation of National Green Tribunal order ,” headed.
Meanwhile, cabbies have refused to lift the blockade till their demands are met even as t he tourists are having a harrowing time.
“I’m stuck here since four hours. It’s such a disappointment,” said Ashray Chaudhary, a tourist from Delhi.
Manali hotelier association president Gajender Thakur said the protest would badly affect the tourism business.
SNARLS HIT SHIMLAPARWANOO HIGHWAY
Meanwhile, people travelling through Shimla-Kalka highway are also having a harrowing time, as the four-laning work, which is already running behind schedule, is leading to traffic snarls on the road. About 14,000 vehicles that include those of local tourists and defence personnel, ply on the highway on a daily basis.
The four-laning project, that was initiated in four stages, has been facing a rough ride ever since it was incepted five years back to ease out the growing traffic problem.
Earlier, the project faced problems due to delay in acquisition of the land and when the work began on the first stretch of road between Parwanoo and Solan two years back, the NGT intervened and banned NHAI from felling trees along the highway for widening.
TAXI OPERATORS ARE UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE DIST ADMINISTRATION OVER BLACKLISTING OF THOSE OPERATORS WHO FLOUT NORMS