The Newz Radar
SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has raised the prices of lift tickets from Cart Road to Mall Road in capital city Shimla. The lift is a crucial link between the two points and is daily used by thousands of locals and tourists.
Effective from Friday, commuters using the lift will now have to pay Rs 20, which is double the previous price of Rs 10. This increase comes after a gap of nearly 10 years since the last price hike in 2013. A proposal to raise ticket prices was also put forward in 2019, but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
To offset the increased rates for regular lift users, the Tourism Development Corporation has announced discounts. Commuters who opt for a monthly pass on both sides will receive a 25% discount while a 30% discount will be applicable for those who choose to purchase a one-year pass. However, no concessions have been made for elderly individuals under the new pricing structure.
A tourism development corporation official said that the decision to raise ticket prices had been taken after careful consideration. The proposal for increased rates was originally suggested four years ago, but was postponed due to the pandemic’s impact, he said. The new prices will apply to all classes of passengers, with a flat rate of Rs 20.
The decision is learnt to have been taken to increase the revenue of the corporation, which has been battling a financial crisis and at times is not even able to pay staff salaries on time. The introduction of discounts for regular users aims to provide some relief for those who rely on the lift for their daily commute.
