Jahangeer Ganaie
Pahalgam, May 5: Fourteen days after the Baisaran terror attack, Pahalgam, the bustling tourist town in south Kashmir continues to grapple with an eerie silence.
The usually vibrant markets, frequented by tourists and locals alike, remain subdued after the April 22 terror attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists dead.
Pony wallas, cab drivers, and shopkeepers, who are the backbone of Pahalgam’s tourism economy, continue to face uncertainty as business remains far from normal.
The April 22 terror attack, which targeted tourists at Baisaran Pahalgam, sent shockwaves and the tourism industry in Kashmir has got hit. Impact has been severe in Pahalgam.
Despite efforts by authorities to reassure visitors of improved security measures, the aftershocks of the incident are still being felt on the ground.
Local pony operator Bilal Ahmad, who has not had a single ride in over a week, expressed his frustration. “This is the time we earn to survive the winter months. Now, tourists are scared to come, and we are sitting idle,” he said.
Cab drivers parked by the roadside echoed similar concerns, reporting a drastic drop in bookings.
Shopkeepers, too, report meagre footfall and poor sales. “Before the attack, we had a good number of visitors every day. Now, we hardly see any,” said Ghulam Nabi, a local trader.
Officials say that while the inflow of tourists is slowly picking up, it may take more time for confidence to be fully restored.
“We have intensified patrolling and enhanced the security grid around tourist areas. We are in constant touch with local stakeholders to support them during this difficult phase,” said an officer.
Tourism stakeholders have urged the government to launch a confidence-building campaign to revive visitor numbers and offer some form of relief to those affected economically.
Hoteliers said that most of the bookings post terror attack have been cancelled and majority of the hotels continue to remain empty though few tourists continue to visit the spot.
