Matheran, Maharashtra's iconic hill station, has closed indefinitely from March 18, 2025, as residents protest against rampant tourist scams. The Matheran Bachao Sangharsh Samiti initiated the shutdown after repeated frauds by horse operators at the Dasturi entry point, who allegedly misled and overcharged visitors. Despite formal complaints to multiple authorities, no action was taken, forcing locals to halt tourism entirely.
Failed negotiations between residents and officials have left tourism-dependent workers like horse riders, porters, and rickshaw pullers in financial uncertainty. A viral social media post exposing these scams further damaged Matheran's reputation. After giving authorities 19 days to act on grievances raised on February 27, locals declared the indefinite closure to pressure officials into curbing malpractices.