[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Solution.
20,000 fine for wrong parking.

Even a 2,000 fine would work if one enforces the same.

I am not sure about the blanket ban, modern oil burners are pretty good in pollution compliance just like the petrol engined ones. And a badly tuned petrol engine can be a disaster at higher altitudes.

[roy_libran]

I personally believe that this decision is good. Rohtang is indeed a nightmare, and the surrounding environment is suffering heavily. It may be caused due to parking, but there is no denying that vehicular traffic on that pass has reached epic proportions.

But, travelers to Ladakh shouldn't despair. There is still the Sach Pass, or the Spiti Route. True they are longer, and may open a bit later, but they are also a lot more fun, in fact the former, a lot more so.

[Styler]

Another reason to replace my 12 year Delhi Registered Scorpio with a Petrol Vehicle. The problem is there are no good Petrol SUVs capable of offroading.

[luvtandon]

Looks like the NGT has got some serious issues with Automobiles. First the ban on 15 years old vehicles, then the ban on 10 years old diesel vehicles in Delhi and now comes the ban on Diesel tourism vehicles at Rohtang Pass. May god save us and our automobiles from the wrath of THE NGT.

[Renjith_Mani]

In our upcoming trip in September we are planning to use Spiti Valley Route from Shimla to Leh.
Is this route also out of bounds for my diesel car?
It joins the Rohtang route at Gramphu (via Kaza-Batal-Gramphu road)

I hear the road conditions are very bad, but do we have any options if we don't want to take our return route, Srinagar-Leh route for onward leg also.

[Aditya]

Those planning to visit the Rohtang Pass in the upcoming tourist season might have to reconsider their travel options.

The National Green Tribunal is continuing its war on vehicles, particularly those with diesel engines. Earlier this month, it banned diesel vehicles over 10 years of age in Delhi. Now it has prohibited all diesel tourist vehicles from entering the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh from next month. It had set May 1 as the date for the ban to be enforced. This date has been postponed to May 5.

Rohtang Pass, located at an altitude of 13,015 ft. on the Manali-Leh Highway is a popular tourist attraction. The ban will be enforced by the Kullu administration and is likely to hit the upcoming tourist season hard. More than 1,300 Delhi-based tourist taxis of local operators are expected to be affected. Tourist buses run by HPTDC will also be affected. Army vehicles, HRTC buses, private vehicles and vehicles of Lahaul residents have been exempted from the ban.

The state government has been asked to make a serious effort to operate vehicles based on alternate fuel, including CNG.

Source: Indian Express, The Tribune, Indian Express

[0xTKB]

Update:- Based on today's newspaper (Amar Ujala), the deadline has been extended to 5th May. Moreover, the government is installing some kind of equipment at Gulaba and Manali to measure the pollution levels.

Also, the taxi operators have been given 2 weeks to present their case in the court in front of the judges and the National Green Tribunal. 85% of the taxis in Manali run on diesel whereas only 15% run on petrol. The government is also in talks with Tata and other bus manufacturers to start a CNG based bus-service from Manali-Rohtang Pass.

[bullrun87]

This is sad news for travellers. People going on Ladakh road trips may have to start going via kashmir and come back via manali. I believe this will still be possible, though I am quite sure the taxi operators will never let this happen.

[Renjith_Mani]

Is Shimla - Kaza - Spiti Vally - Keylong - Leh route out of bounds for diesel cars?
This road is passing through Rohtang region but not through Rohtang pass!!

advice

[rajneeesh]

The NGT has also asked that the Diesel vehicles shift to CNG. With the terrain being what it is abetween Rohtang and Manali, how will CNG reach the stations. Moreover, will CNG vehicles be able to tackle the tough climb with the additional weight of the cyllinders and the lower power and torque figures

[Renjith_Mani]

CNG buses on this route is an Utopian idea.
I heard bith TATA and Leyland expressed doubts over the feasibility considering the high altitudes.
Fuel stations also need be opened on these route for CNG. If its so crucial to ban diesel cars even before the tunnel is open, better depend on lighter vehicles that run on petrol for Rohtang.

I feel the whole idea a Tuglak reform. The ecology is not more affected by littering the place and ill-behaving tourists. Steps I consider better are

1. Make traffic one way only. Say- in morning hours 5 am to 1 pm towards Leh side and afterwards towards Manali. This should apply even for bus and army trucks.

2. No parking on side of the road,That is what causes the jam. Make some designated parking spots at view points so that tourists may park there, get down and take pictures.

3. Impose heavy fines on those who litter the place

4. Improve the condition of the spiti valley route so that people get a better alternative than Rohtang

This will help reduce the pollution and rush on the pass.
Steps like banning diesel cars altogether can affect the tourism revenue of the state.

A best solution but very expensive one would be consider building a summer mountain railway or a very long gondola here. Trust me it will mint money for the state.

[Styler]

Originally Posted by Renjith_Mani

Is Shimla - Kaza - Spiti Vally - Keylong - Leh route out of bounds for diesel cars?
This road is passing through Rohtang region but not through Rohtang pass!!

advice

There is no restriction of Diesel vehicles to go from Kinnaur side to Spiti and onwards. In fact diesel vehicles can go from Spiti to Rostang and Manali. Only diesel tourist vehicles won't be allowed from Manali towards Rohtang for Day trips. They will be allowed if they are traveling to Leh or Spiti.
That's my assessment of the situation but I could be wrong.
Styler.

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by Styler

There is no restriction of Diesel vehicles to go from Kinnaur side to Spiti and onwards. In fact diesel vehicles can go from Spiti to Rostang and Manali. Only diesel tourist vehicles won't be allowed from Manali towards Rohtang for Day trips. They will be allowed if they are traveling to Leh or Spiti.
That's my assessment of the situation but I could be wrong.
Styler.

Private vehicles are allowed, please go through the posts above.

[phamilyman]

NGT is going overboard but finally there is a body which cares to do something ... though things are not thought through clearly.

Things are bad up there:
It took cognisance of the scientific studies, including those of NEERI, that the "glacier in the region is depleting rapidly and may even vanish in 20-25 years".

Originally Posted by breezydrive

Don't worry, after about 3 years, the tunnel should become operational. It goes beyond Sissu. Currently, 50% excavation done; No need to go to Rohtang, if bound for Leh!

Sir,

I've been following news on this tunnel since 2003 (or whenever it became active under NDA-1) - it has indeed progressed only in the last few years. Let's not be so optimistic. We're not China - our delivery record in such infrastructure is beyond pathetic.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Rohtang problem is simple to solve. No jams. No pollution.
Why are there jams?
Because people go there, park anywhere, and play in snow.

Solution.
20,000 fine for wrong parking.

The problem will go away, and no union will have any leg to stand on.

Hell - Charge 2000 rs for parking beyond a certain point (say Gulaba). Allow parking only in areas that support it - and run electric vehicles in shuttle mode.

It needs strict implementation - maybe let military police manage it? (this mess hurts them as much as any one else!!). They have low tolerance for crap!

Originally Posted by Renjith_Mani

Hi all Below is the complete text of Tribune article
It does not clearly say anything on allowing private cars

Quote...............
The move follows the orders of the NGT in November last year directing the state government to take immediate steps to ensure plying of CNG buses from Vashisht to Rohtang and vice and versa.

THIS IS LOL MAX as Rajneesh pointed out. CNG buses in vashisht to Rohtang? The honorable court has been ill advised to the point of idiocy. CNG requires some way to pipe the natural gas. How will it be compressed to flow uphill 550km and 2000m from the nearest point - Delhi? Thousands of crores just to run a bunch of buses which will struggle to operate at those altitudes? (my mom's CNG Alto really struggles in bumper to bumper traffic - I'm not sure the city buses from delhi will be able to run adequately at 4000m!)
They should instead have specified electric vehicles, which can be charged anywhere where power is available! Again because there's no combustion, they will perform as adequately with no deterioration due to the thinner air. (auto engineers please chip in!)

The other irony is that the HP government has inexplicably abandoned the proposed Vashisht-Rohtang ropeway. That could've catered to the tourists and simply killed the whole traffic problem in a fell swoop.

[breezydrive]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Sir,

I've been following news on this tunnel since 2003 (or whenever it became active under NDA-1) - it has indeed progressed only in the last few years. Let's not be so optimistic. We're not China - our delivery record in such infrastructure is beyond pathetic.

I agree with you but being associated with STRABAG-AFCONS JV (the contractors executing the work), it is possible to complete the tunnel by end 2018.