Airfare hike- Adhere to recommendations

The tourism season is about to start in the Valley, but the abrupt airfare hike has once again put brakes on the flow of the tourist arrivals, causing a great inconvenience and concern among the tourism players. One fails to understand why the airfare is being hiked, especially at the time when the flow of tourists to Kashmir increases. It seems a deliberate attempt to mint money from the general public, but what needs to be done is the action in this regard so that the people behind will face the law. In the previous year, a record number of tourists visited Kashmir last year and this year too, the people, especially the tourism players are expecting a further boom of the sector, but the skyrocketing prices of the air tickets could play a spoilsport at this juncture, thereby requires a swift and favourable actions in this regard. The business community has also expressed a grave concern over the uncertain exorbitant air fares, which has been adversely affecting the tourist business of J&K and the travel movement of sick, aged, students and businessmen. It is the time when the Minister of Home Affairs, the Union Minister for Civil Aviation Government of India and also the Director General, Civil Aviation must take steps to ensure implementation of the recommendation made by the Department-related Committee in letter and spirit without fail and any further delay. Asia’s largest Tulip garden is all set to be thrown open for the public; the airlines should adhere to the recommendations and also operate additional flights to meet the tourist rush.