The delayed opening of Manali-Leh highway is affecting the tourist season.
The region which serves as a base camp for travellers visiting Leh-Ladakh have to re-route or cancel their bookings. Expecting that the highway would open in the third week of May, hoteliers have already accepted bookings from the tourists.
“I have refunded the advance amount to tourists and travel agents. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had put in all its efforts to open the Manali-Keylong highway because of elections. But now that the elections are over, nobody is bothered,” owner of a hotel in Keylong told the Times of India.
Camping sites of Sarchu, a preferred halting point on the Manali-Leh route, are expected to get functional after mid-June. The Manali-Spiti highway is also likely to open before June-end.
Last week, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) has removed the permit system required for domestic tourists while travelling to Leh-Ladakh. Earlier, both domestic and foreign tourists were required to obtain permission from the district authorities before embarking on their journey to destinations like Nubra Valley, Turtuk, Hot Spring and Pangong Lake in Ladakh.
The Srinagar-Leh highway is already open for this season.
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