Haunted by basic issues, McLeod Ganj fails to liven up to hustings

Even the Dharamshala Skyway, a Rs 200-crore ropeway project developed to cut the travel time to just 5 minutes between the city and McLeod Ganj from the usual 45 minutes by road, has failed to address the traffic problem and attract more visitors due to a higher ticket price, he says.

While electioneering is picking up pace in the city in view of the impending Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, its cacophony is hardly reverberating in the nearby world-famous tourist spot of McLeod Ganj. Travel and hospitality industry players are more interested in attending to the visitors during the last leg of the tourist season rather than giving an ear to the claims of development or future guarantees offered by political leaders. Even as the travel industry in McLeod Ganj is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent problems like frequent traffic jams, lack of adequate parking facilities and bad roads, are still haunting the town, giving a sour experience to tourists. Bipin Rana, a travel and tour operator, says more tourist attractions like theme parks and branded hotels should be developed in and around the city to give a rich experience to visitors. He rues that Dharamshala has become a just one-night stay spot due to lack of attractions and poor air connectivity. Even the Dharamshala Skyway, a Rs 200-crore ropeway project developed to cut the travel time to just 5 minutes between the city and McLeod Ganj from the usual 45 minutes by road, has failed to address the traffic problem and attract more visitors due to a higher ticket price, he says. Echoing the view, Deepak, another tour operator, says they find it hard to sell the package to a touring family as the overall cost of the round trip shoots up to Rs 2,500 or more. Though some relaxation was announced, the ticket price is still around Rs 300 for a single journey and around Rs 450 for a round trip. Lack of parking facility at the starting point in Dharamshala is also bothering visitors, he adds.

Rana believes that due to these issues, the town is not getting its due recognition as a bustling tourist spot despite being on the international travel map due to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. A falling footfall of international travellers and high-spending tourists is bothering hoteliers in McLeod Ganj. The city is attracting trekkers, paragliding enthusiasts and weekend crowds, but they avoid spending on luxury hotel stays, say hoteliers. For Sanjeev Gandhi, a hotelier and the general secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Smart City Dharamshala, government apathy to the troubles of the travel industry, especially after the pandemic, has done more harm to players. He claims that the hospitality and travel industry is disappointed with the treatment given to the sector after the pandemic. He says the government should have given more financial support to hoteliers. Industry status to the travel industry is the key poll issue for us, Gandhi asserts. The tourism sector will support the party which will genuinely address its problems and give it industry status, he says. Polling will be held in Himachal Pradesh on November 12 and counting of votes taken up on December 8. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking a re-election in the state, while the Congress is eyeing to wrest power from the saffron party. PTI MR SRY

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