Tourism, Transport
3 Years of Total Loss
News Kashmir Exclusive
Since the last three years the tourism and transport sector of Kashmir has been at the receiving end due to varied reasons . From political upheaval to the ragging pandemic of Coronavirus since more than one year have lent death blow to the tourism and transport sector of Kashmir .The transport and tourism sector related People are the worst hit as they are finding it difficult to meet the day to day needs. The Coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc .Although , Jammu and Kashmir government has come to the rescue of these tourism players. A package of $30 million (INR 3 crore) has been announced. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced the measure for those particularly hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.In this package, Rs 2,000 financial assistance will be provided to 4,444 registered shikara owners, 1,370 tourist guides, 6,663 ponywalas and 2,150 others including those who rent palanquins for yatris. The money will be paid for two months. The relief will be transferred to only those who are registered with the tourism department,” said an official release by the JK government.Although the tourism people still feel it is less.Transporters and their families are on brink of starvation .Transporters also recently urged authorities to provide them compensation, stating that the sector was worst-hit due to successive lockdowns for last three consecutive years.
“The transports are worst affected. We have been facing the brunt of the successive lockdowns since 5 August,” General Secretary, Kashmir Welfare Transporters Association, Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf.
“The drivers and conductors are pushed to the wall. Owners are not positioned differently either,” he said, adding, “The drivers and conductors are finding it extremely hard to make both ends meet.
The need of the hour is that a very broad based and comprehensive financial package are announced in the favour of tourism and transport sector .It is worth mentioning here that delegation of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) led by its President Sheikh Ashiq and Secretary-general Farooq Amin, met Advisor to Lt. Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan and highlighted the crisis faced by the economically vulnerable sections of the society due to COVID lockdown.
The delegation also included presidents of other associations like trade, transport, tourism, and other allied sectors like Kashmir Traders and Manufactures Federation (KTMF), Federation chamber of industries Kashmir (FCIK), Houseboat Associations, who also highlighted these issues and briefed about the problems they are facing due to the prevailing situation, the Chamber said in a statement.
