Identify the location of Asia’s Only Car-Free Hill Station; the answer is India

The tourism industry is expanding quickly. These days, pollution and crowding plague many cities, including hill stations, negatively impacting the natural environment. The occasional trip to a clean-air zone for recuperation is gradually becoming essential. It is hard to locate a clean, peaceful environment these days. If such a location appeals to you, Matheran is the place to be.

About 90 kilometers separate Matheran, Maharashtra, from Mumbai. It’s the only car-free hill station in Asia! Matheran is one of the greenest travel destinations in India since cars are not permitted there. A zone off-limits to cars? That must imply horning, right? Not a single pollution? Indeed! Even though Matheran was designated a car-free zone in 2003, a lot of visitors from adjacent cities like Mumbai still prefer Matheran for a leisurely weekend getaway. You can be sure that there is a calm, horn-free area where you can unwind, take in the fresh air, and spend quality time with your loved ones since cars are not permitted beyond the Dasturi Point.

The municipality’s ambulance is the sole registered vehicle. The finest ways to get about are on foot, by horseback, or in a rickshaw pulled by hand. The Indian Ministry of Environment and Forestry has named Matheran an environmentally sensitive zone. In the modern world, it is hard to fathom a town where there are no registered cars, yet Matheran has long been one of such places. The ecosystem of this vulnerable area was shielded from the mining and quarrying industries by the prohibition of motor vehicles.

News sources state that the Supreme Court has given the Maharashtra government permission to carry out its plan to test-drive a few eco-friendly e-rickshaws in Matheran’s environmentally sensitive zone. This action was taken after an assessment of the area’s viability. Furthermore, the construction of any new structures, the usage of plastic, and the felling of trees were all forbidden.

Here, even the roadways are composed of red laterite dirt rather than being paved. Additionally, Matheran is endowed with evergreen and semi-evergreen trees that envelop the tables, amplify the beauty of the surroundings, and evoke a sense of being closer to nature. Who doesn’t look forward to a relaxing weekend after returning to work or school? Sometimes, living in a city causes us to lose sight of how soothing being in nature can be. Is that accurate? Matheran is the ideal illustration of this. It’s possible to go a whole weekend without hearing a horn!