Hyderabad travellers cancel trips to Leh

Hyderabad: In face of increasing reports of outside vehicles being attacked by taxi mafia in Leh and Ladakh, many adventure junkies from the city are canceling their plans. There have been three to four incidents of private vehicles being attacked in the region in the last 15 days.

The tourists who were attacked could not get any local help from authorities and took to social media uploading videos of the actual attacks.

However, following these the local authorities gave a statement saying that even vehicles with national permit will not be allowed to ply in any part of Ladakh except on National Highway considering its impact on the fragile environment and ecology.

This is in addition to private vehicles (two wheelers and four wheelers) not being allowed. Earlier there was a unanimous resolution passed by few unions to not allow outside vehicles, now it has got the backing of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, in the latest.

“It was only after the statement from the local authority coming in following the attack on a group of private vehicles, that we realised that things are very very wrong in Ladakh and that the administration is not going to do anything. There is a rampaging mob out there and locally there is also a call against Indian tourists. On one side it is an unfair restriction and on the other they might attack a tourist even in a hired car if it belongs to the opposing faction,” said Ravveendrra B,   from the city, who had planned to drive to Ladakh but has now canceled the plan.

Generally during September-October months, a large number of people head to these two destinations and after months of planning, buying expensive gears and servicing their cars for the trip, many are changing course towards north east.