Recently, the Shen Nongjia Scenic Area in Hubei Province has come under scrutiny for setting up toll booths on the G347 national highway, following similar incidents in well-known tourist spots such as Daocheng Yading and Lugu Lake. This has sparked widespread public attention. On June 3, the Shen Nongjia Shenlv Group in Hubei Province issued an apology statement.
According to a report by “Chinese Traffic Broadcast”, a Wuhan resident, Mr. Zhu, mentioned that when he was driving from Pingqian Ancient Town to Songbai Town, his navigation system indicated taking the G347 national highway, a total distance of 111 kilometers and an estimated travel time of about 2 hours and 27 minutes. However, as he approached the entrance of the Shen Nong Top Scenic Area, he was stopped by a barrier.
Mr. Zhu tried to explain to the staff that he only needed to pass through the national highway to reach Songbai Town for personal business and not for sightseeing within the scenic area. However, the staff refused to allow him to pass, citing the need to purchase tickets to enter the scenic area, and directed him to take alternative routes.
Facing no other choice, Mr. Zhu had to turn back, take a county road, enter the Huruong expressway from the Yandu River toll station, exit the expressway at the Xingshan toll station onto the 209 national highway, ultimately traveling 233 kilometers and taking 4 and a half hours to reach Songbai Town.
Local residents of Pingqian Ancient Town stated that buses headed to Pingqian, Songbai, and other nearby townships, as well as vehicles with local Shen Nongjia plates (E license plates), are allowed to pass through that section free of charge but must adhere to the rule of “passing through without stopping”. The entire area is under surveillance, so if a vehicle stops midway, additional ticket fees must be paid. Residents also disclosed that previously, the free passage was limited to around 5:30 to 6 PM, but this time restriction was lifted following public feedback. Vehicles with non-local license plates are required to purchase tickets to pass through.
Once this incident was exposed, it triggered widespread attention online. Under public pressure, the Hubei Shen Nong Tourism Investment Group Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Shenlv Group”) issued an apology statement on June 3, announcing unconditional and unrestricted passage for transit vehicles around the clock, and pledged to cooperate with relevant authorities for investigation and verification.
However, the apology statement did not quell the doubts prevailing online.
Netizens expressed their views, with one saying, “I am from Zhushan, I used to go there to escape the heat every year, but I stopped going due to toll collection. The tolls at Shen Nongjia have disrupted normal passage for many years.”
“Firstly, Shen Nongjia is a natural landscape; secondly, provincial highways are public roads, and road maintenance fees have already been collected from fuel taxes! Local authorities do not have the right to set up toll booths and restrict passage!”
“If the money collected before was deemed illegal income, should it be refunded and penalized? If not, why apologize?”
“Shouldn’t we investigate who authorized the toll collection? Who pocketed the money? Will toll collection continue after this incident? These are questions that should be taken seriously by relevant government departments.”
“Although Shenlv Group is state-owned, setting up toll booths requires approval from higher authorities. How should those responsible for decision-making handle this situation? Authorities need to thoroughly investigate individuals responsible for actions that harm public interests, cautioning those in power to think twice about illegal activities, as offering an apology should not resolve the issue; accountability must be taken.”
“Sichuan Daocheng Yading, Yunnan Lugu Lake, Tibet Namtso, Gansu Gannan, and Hubei Shen Nongjia have all been circled by national and provincial highways. Have other locations faced similar issues? Hopefully, this will lead to a nationwide unified rectification.”
“We need not only to investigate places like Daocheng, Yading, and Shen Nongjia, but also many tourist spots nationwide where the entrance gates have been moved five kilometers out, adding shuttle buses and increasing fees, acquiring unjust profits. The National Tourism Administration, Price Bureau, and other relevant departments should crack down strictly, providing a good environment for domestic travel and stimulating consumption among the general public!”
“If not for exposure and persistent questioning, who knows how long this toll barrier would have remained. This shows that in the age of the internet, everyone’s voice can drive change. Let’s continue to stay vigilant, ensuring that public affairs always stay in the spotlight.”