Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district administration issued an order late on 28 September designating the north portal of the Atal Tunnel and surrounding tourist precincts a ‘no-drone/unmanned-aerial-vehicle zone’ from immediate effect until 7 October. The restriction is part of an extensive security lockdown for President Droupadi Murmu’s scheduled tour of the high-altitude region on 7 October. Deputy Commissioner Kiran Bhadana’s directive bans all recreational and commercial drone operations and suspends allied adventure-tourism activities—including zip-lining and river-rafting—between 5 and 7 October. Vendors occupying space near the portal have been instructed to vacate by 30 September so security forces can sanitise the area. The Atal Tunnel, a strategic 9.02-km highway tunnel under the Rohtang Pass, is both a tourist magnet and an essential military logistics corridor connecting Manali with forward areas along the LAC. Authorities cite the growing global trend of drones being used for hostile reconnaissance and contraband drops as justification for the blanket ban. For travel-management companies and tour operators, the order means scheduled sightseeing itineraries through the tunnel during the first week of October will need to be re-routed or postponed. Logistics firms transporting time-sensitive cargo along the Manali–Leh axis should anticipate brief checkpoints and possible convoys, and factor in additional transit time. The move underscores how high-profile VVIP travel can trigger sudden, location-specific air-space and road restrictions in India. Companies running drone surveys or adventure activities in hill states are advised to track local district-level notifications—often published with little advance warning—to remain compliant and avoid equipment seizures or penalties.
Source: The Times of India
