Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars)

cUjO · 25th July 2015, 16:02

"The ladakh taxi union is NOT Ladakhis - but a subset.
The ngawang woman who posted on BCMTouring is only one person from there, though with a potentially "my" version of the truth with half the details only."

If the rest dont speak up, they will be giving up what they stand for without a fight. So unless the sensible ones act up, this discourse is only going to be worse.

"The fact is, Ladakhis in general are very nice and awesome people. Yes there's far more commercialization creeping in - the loud mouths are taking over the discourse."

Being silent is far worse a crime.

"Just as any in any religion / place / group you would not form an opinion about it because of its most violent / extreme adherents, right? Similarly please don't talk disrespectfully about Ladakh and Ladakhis in general. The ratio of jerks to the total population may potentially not be much higher than say Gurgaon, so chill! (though it may be manifold compared to a decade back!)"

Action speaks in all areas. Gurgaon has its problems but there is an active police working to fix these issues. Also the local politicians understand the need to fix things. Wish the leaders in ladakh grow a pair.

tomraven99 · 25th July 2015, 17:20

I am still surprised at a how a bunch of goons in a tent can pass laws at will.
Why is the Government or Army silent on this?
In such a region with a huge military presence how can such bans be enforced ?

honeybee · 25th July 2015, 19:01

Well, at this rate how long till the local auto wallahs and taxi wallahs clammer for a ban on driving your own vehicle to work? After all they lose revenue when I drive my own car! So ban people from using their cars on public roads altogether!

There is simply no justification for such measures. Hoping that the local government will act against such antisocial and antinational elements is futile as the politicians will always protect their vote bank. Also as the facebook post by someone claiming to give the "other side" of the story mentioned, going to court against their hooliganism will only stoke their egoes further and as they all know each other, any local voices of dissent will be appropriately dealt with.

Manuuj · 12th August 2015, 14:04

Yes India is a free and democratic country. As per the laws of the nation i am free to take my car anywhere i want as long as its not a restricted area and i have the requisite passes and permisssions.
To judge the lacs of tourists based on a few hundred morons who i am sure would have harmed the ecology, chased animals, driven on sand dunes etc is the utterly illogical and steeped in stupidity.
Ive been to Leh in my Fortuner and we made sure not even a plastic bottle cap or ciggarete butt was thrown out of the car. I have personally witnessed rickety ill maintained qualises being recklessly driven up on snowy icy roads of khardungla spewing smoke as they did so. Needless to say they were local taxis.
To any Ladhaki or Ladhaki Taxi driver reading this i am saying this openly ..you have no right to ban me from driving my own car to any place in my own country.
Ladhakh belongs to all of us and it is not your personal property.

ghatotkatch · 28th January 2016, 10:44

Any idea about what was the situation like, during the fag end of the 2015 season, say September/October? I know a few who still travelled from Pune to Leh and back in their own cars, but they could have just got lucky (no one spotted them?

)

Me and friends are planning to go to Ladakh along with family on bikes (our own) this year 2016 July. While we had done a very peaceful Ladakh trip back in 2014 on bikes with family, this is some development we didn't anticipate for this time and feel concerned about.

Does the idiotic ban on all non-Ladakhi cars/bikes still stand? We definitely don't want our month-long ride spoiled due to these non-sensical reasons, and would rather look towards Himachal (lahaul, spiti et al) or even north-east, in case Ladakh doesn't want us.

hothatchaway · 24th March 2016, 11:57

Can anyone recount first had experience of what the current on ground situation is in J&K? Was planning to hire a self-drive from Delhi and drive upto Srinagar/Gulmarg next month, would have the missus and daughter in tow. Leh/Ladakh is of course ruled out at in April.

Is it advisable?

tsk1979 · 24th March 2016, 12:16

Self drive rentals are only allowed on the manali leh and Srinagar leh routes.

hothatchaway · 24th March 2016, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Self drive rentals are only allowed on the manali leh and Srinagar leh routes.

Thanks.

So my understanding is that there shouldn't be any issues in driving a Zoom/xyz self drive from Delhi to Srinagar + adjoining areas like Gulmarg/Pahalgam and back?

tsk1979 · 24th March 2016, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Thanks.

So my understanding is that there shouldn't be any issues in driving a Zoom/xyz self drive from Delhi to Srinagar + adjoining areas like Gulmarg/Pahalgam and back?

No problem at all. This self drive rental problem is there for only leh

Annibaddh · 6th April 2016, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

No problem at all. This self drive rental problem is there for only leh

The right time to be reopening this thread I guess! The drive season to Ladakh is around the corner and after the incredibly beautiful drives through Swiss Alps and the Dolomites, the missus and I have decided to get us a Himalayan Safari.

Only issue? My Vento ain't high enough for me to have any peace of mind scaling the beast. Any updates / recommendations then on the status? Is it worth getting ourselves a Myles Duster and hit the road?

tsk1979 · 6th April 2016, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annibaddh

The right time to be reopening this thread I guess! The drive season to Ladakh is around the corner and after the incredibly beautiful drives through Swiss Alps and the Dolomites, the missus and I have decided to get us a Himalayan Safari.

Only issue? My Vento ain't high enough for me to have any peace of mind scaling the beast. Any updates / recommendations then on the status? Is it worth getting ourselves a Myles Duster and hit the road?

Nope, go sight seeing in taxi. Your myles duster will be allowed only in Leh city.

Annibaddh · 6th April 2016, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Nope, go sight seeing in taxi. Your myles duster will be allowed only in Leh city.

Thanks!

Such a shame! Almost feel like the freedom of the whole thing is gone

, Maybe would take a friend's car instead, once I get a sense of how the situation is developing.

ronk · 29th April 2016, 08:19

Hey if ecological damage is the concern then why not just ban tourists altogether!

Sommos · 27th May 2016, 15:29

Quote:

The biking season is here, but Manali's many rent-a-bike shops have nothing to cheer about this time. The government's order not to permit rented private bikes on the Manali-Leh road has knocked the bottom out of this years-old business.

Dampening their mood are notices signed by Manali sub-divisional magistrate and pasted across the town that state bikers headed for Leh will not be issued permits to cross Rohtang Pass, as bikes are not commercial vehicles.

ET Auto

Nikhilb2008 · 30th May 2016, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annibaddh

Thanks!

Such a shame! Almost feel like the freedom of the whole thing is gone

, Maybe would take a friend's car instead, once I get a sense of how the situation is developing.

I am a bit late in replying but if my Civic and a friend's Honda City could make it, your Vento can easily make it.

25th July 2015, 16:02	#46
cUjO BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 46 Thanked: 37 Times	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) "The ladakh taxi union is NOT Ladakhis - but a subset. The ngawang woman who posted on BCMTouring is only one person from there, though with a potentially "my" version of the truth with half the details only." If the rest dont speak up, they will be giving up what they stand for without a fight. So unless the sensible ones act up, this discourse is only going to be worse. "The fact is, Ladakhis in general are very nice and awesome people. Yes there's far more commercialization creeping in - the loud mouths are taking over the discourse." Being silent is far worse a crime. "Just as any in any religion / place / group you would not form an opinion about it because of its most violent / extreme adherents, right? Similarly please don't talk disrespectfully about Ladakh and Ladakhis in general. The ratio of jerks to the total population may potentially not be much higher than say Gurgaon, so chill! (though it may be manifold compared to a decade back!)" Action speaks in all areas. Gurgaon has its problems but there is an active police working to fix these issues. Also the local politicians understand the need to fix things. Wish the leaders in ladakh grow a pair.
	(3) Thanks

25th July 2015, 17:20	#47
tomraven99 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kottayam Posts: 164 Thanked: 176 Times	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) I am still surprised at a how a bunch of goons in a tent can pass laws at will. Why is the Government or Army silent on this? In such a region with a huge military presence how can such bans be enforced ?
	(1) Thanks

25th July 2015, 19:01	#48
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) Well, at this rate how long till the local auto wallahs and taxi wallahs clammer for a ban on driving your own vehicle to work? After all they lose revenue when I drive my own car! So ban people from using their cars on public roads altogether! There is simply no justification for such measures. Hoping that the local government will act against such antisocial and antinational elements is futile as the politicians will always protect their vote bank. Also as the facebook post by someone claiming to give the "other side" of the story mentioned, going to court against their hooliganism will only stoke their egoes further and as they all know each other, any local voices of dissent will be appropriately dealt with.
	(3) Thanks

12th August 2015, 14:04	#49
Manuuj BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Delhi. Posts: 883 Thanked: 5,368 Times	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) Yes India is a free and democratic country. As per the laws of the nation i am free to take my car anywhere i want as long as its not a restricted area and i have the requisite passes and permisssions. To judge the lacs of tourists based on a few hundred morons who i am sure would have harmed the ecology, chased animals, driven on sand dunes etc is the utterly illogical and steeped in stupidity. Ive been to Leh in my Fortuner and we made sure not even a plastic bottle cap or ciggarete butt was thrown out of the car. I have personally witnessed rickety ill maintained qualises being recklessly driven up on snowy icy roads of khardungla spewing smoke as they did so. Needless to say they were local taxis. To any Ladhaki or Ladhaki Taxi driver reading this i am saying this openly ..you have no right to ban me from driving my own car to any place in my own country. Ladhakh belongs to all of us and it is not your personal property.
	(3) Thanks

28th January 2016, 10:44	#50
ghatotkatch BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 64 Thanked: 145 Times	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) Any idea about what was the situation like, during the fag end of the 2015 season, say September/October? I know a few who still travelled from Pune to Leh and back in their own cars, but they could have just got lucky (no one spotted them? ) Me and friends are planning to go to Ladakh along with family on bikes (our own) this year 2016 July. While we had done a very peaceful Ladakh trip back in 2014 on bikes with family, this is some development we didn't anticipate for this time and feel concerned about. Does the idiotic ban on all non-Ladakhi cars/bikes still stand? We definitely don't want our month-long ride spoiled due to these non-sensical reasons, and would rather look towards Himachal (lahaul, spiti et al) or even north-east, in case Ladakh doesn't want us.
	() Thanks

24th March 2016, 11:57	#51
hothatchaway BHPian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Kolkata Posts: 761 Thanked: 1,664 Times	Re: Ladakh Taxi Mafia now wants to completely ban outside vehicles (including private cars) Can anyone recount first had experience of what the current on ground situation is in J&K? Was planning to hire a self-drive from Delhi and drive upto Srinagar/Gulmarg next month, would have the missus and daughter in tow. Leh/Ladakh is of course ruled out at in April. Is it advisable?
	() Thanks

24th March 2016, 12:16	#52
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Self drive rentals are only allowed on the manali leh and Srinagar leh routes.
	() Thanks

29th April 2016, 08:19	#58
ronk BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 157 Thanked: 51 Times View My Garage	Hey if ecological damage is the concern then why not just ban tourists altogether!
	(2) Thanks