By Sunil Sonkar
Mussoorie, 6 Feb: Members of the Mussoorie Traders and Welfare Association have submitted a memorandum for Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to the SDM Mussoorie regarding removal of entry fee and unauthorised barriers at the George Everest House in Mussoorie. They have warned of an agitation in March against the government and the operators of the George Everest Estate.
Rajat Aggarwal, President of Mussoorie Traders and Welfare Association, said that, for the last several months, illegal payments are being collected from tourists on entry to the George Everest House Estate. The general public is being harassed by the contractor through illegal collection for parking and by installation of illegal barriers. Vehicles are being parked on municipal property by charging a fee of Rs 100 for two wheelers and Rs 200 for four wheelers. He said that tourists and local residents are allowed to enter only after paying Rs 200 per person which is not fair. He said that there are various demands that there should not be barriers on the recently constructed common path at George Everest Park Estate. Entry should be free for local residents of Mussoorie on showing an Aadhar card. There should be discounted, minimum rates for admission to museums and other activities for all tourists. A parking fee of Rs 1000 is being charged for a four-wheeler at George Everest Park Estate which is not justified. This rate should be a maximum Rs 100. It is illegal to park a four-wheeler on municipal property and road after taking Rs 200. Parking should be free on municipal property located at the entrance. George Everest Park Everest has many private routes and a number of private properties to the east, all such landowners must be allowed access and all inter-property routes must be fully open. Local youth and residents should be provided employment and business opportunities at George Everest House on priority basis. There should be provision of drinking water and benches for tourists in the Estate. He said that if the administration does not take action soon in the public interest, there would be an agitation by all the people of Mussoorie in the month of March, for which the entire responsibility would be of the administration.
Present on this occasion were Association President Rajat Aggarwal, Jagjit Kukreja, Nagendra Uniyal, Atul Aggarwal, Gagan Kanojia and others.
