13th edition of Raid-De- Himalaya motor rally will start on 11th October, 2011 from Shimla. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, will flag-off the rally. This was disclosed in a meeting organized here today in which V.C Pharka, Principal Secretary Sports, Vijay Parmar, President Himalayan Motor Sports Association and representatives of various departments were present to discuss and make necessary arrangements for the proposed event.
The much popular event would be organized jointly by Department of Youth Services and Sports, Himachal Pradesh, Federation of Motor Sports Club of India and Himalayan Motor Sports Association.
The Raid will be covering approximately 2500 kms through the most rugged terrain of Himalayas and will have both X-treme and Adventure categories. The teams from Tata motors, Mahindra and Maruti are all set to battle out the most predominant adventure class. In the X-treme class Team Army, Team Thunderbolt and Team Eagle Motorsport and Team Air Force would be participating.
This will be for the first time that a Paraplegic competitor Anurag Bareja from Gurgaon who is without legs was participating on par with other competitors in a modified hand control car.
Keeping in view the mandatory ecological parameters, Raid-De-Himalaya has introduced necessary sound regulations on the analogy of European norms on sound emissions as applicable to rally cars and would be strictly enforced using sophisticated sound monitoring equipments.
Apart from this, the Health Department would be alert en-route, within the State with its remarkable 108 Ambulance Services to deal with any mishap.
In X-Treme category, the pre-event scrutiny would be on 9th and 10th October 2011 at Shimla. In the first leg the rally will traverse through districts of Shimla, Mandi and Kullu and will halt at Manali. The second leg would pass through the mighty Rohtang to halt at Leh on 12th October. On 13th it will cover several routes in Leh including the 18,300 feet, Khardung-La, the highest Motorable road of the world and would cover Kargil, Rangdum, Penzi-La to finally conclude at Srinagar on 16th October.
In Adventure Trial category the pre-event scrutiny would also be held on 9th and 10th October, 2011 and will pass through the districts of Shimla, Mandi,Kullu Kangra, Chamba, and would enter Jammu and Kashmir, through Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Kokernag, Ananatnag. From here it would go from Srinagar to Kargil, Rangdum, Dras, Kargil, Zozi-La and culminate at Srinagar on 16th October.
Pradeep Kumar, IG, Law and Order, J.R. Katwal, Director, Youth Services and Sports and other senior officers of various departments were present in the meeting.
