STATE TIMES NEWS
LEH: Ladakh Bike Rental Cooperative Ltd has announced that from July 7, 2022 onwards, Serchu-Serchu operation, earlier existing between bikers of Himachal Pradesh and Leh, would be brought back to practice in view of violations of Memorandum of Understanding by Manali Bike Union in recent days. “With hike in MoU violations every other day, which has been affecting local Bike rental business and also resulting into a threat to sustainability of the Ladakh Bike rental companies, the Union has unanimously decided to condemn the violations from Manali Bike Association and hence come back to Serchu- Serchu practice, as going on in past,” Ladakh Bike Rental Cooperative President said during a press conference in Leh on Tuesday. He added that Manali bike union has been intimated well in advance to support Serchu decision from July 7, 2022 to avoid any inconveniences.
Ladakh bikers said that in recent times, they felt that sustainability and existence of the business is on a threat with many non-local bike agencies occupying and vandalising Bike Rental business. “Ladakh is a Tourist destination with a very limited season and out of which, the Bike Rental business only lasts for about 4 months due to weather conditions. As Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has also advocated ‘Vocal for Local’, we feel it is our moral responsibility and duty to strive for our local voice and its sustainability,” he added. It was also decided that each union will reserve their internal routes & sightseeing destinations to themselves and any excessive violation may lead to alteration of the MoU. The Union President further said that there are around 200+ Bike Rental companies, registered with RTO Ladakh and functioning commercially with full legal aspects, paying all taxes to Government. Moreover, out of those 200+ companies, around 80 are new setups launched by unemployed youth of Ladakh and majority of them have started the same on Bank Loans.
