Nishikant Khajuria
-Excelsior/Ramesh Mengi
JAMMU, Sept 21: Even as the Central Government has come to the rescue of flood ravaged State, the natural calamity has inflicted serious blow to the Tourism industry, which is backbone of the Jammu Kashmir economy.
While the losses in Kashmir Valley are unprecedented and yet to be assessed, Tourism related trade in Jammu has too suffered a serious set back due to steep fall in the flow of tourists here, including the pilgrim visiting Mata Vaishno Devi whose number has drastically reduced to around one fourth after the rains hit J&K.
There are around one thousand hotels in Jammu division, mostly in the winter capital and holy town Katra while more than five thousand private taxis ply from Jammu carrying tourists to Kashmir and Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims.
For the last two weeks, there is severe dearth of tourists and pilgrims who are not visiting Jammu due to an impression that entire State is flood ravaged and marooned in rain water, explained Inderjeet Khajuria, president of Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association.
The rains and floods did not damage us directly but indirectly as hoteliers and Taxi operators are now without business for the last couple of days and the situation seems unlikely to improve, he rued.
“The situation is grim and I am planning to search for some other job as no tourist would now think of visiting Kashmir in near future,” said a Taxi operator namely Bitta, who was plying his commercial vehicle between Jammu and Srinagar for the last more than 10 years.
According to Director Tourism Jammu, Soujanya Sharma, due to incessant rains and consequent flash floods, the Government infrastructure in Tourism sector in Jammu has suffered damages worth more than Rs 12 crores.
“Besides the infrastructure adjoining Tawi and Chenab rivers, some historic places like Bhimgarh Fort of Reasi have been damaged. One of the domes on the Fort wall, which was recently renovated by the Department of Tourism, has completely collapsed along with some other portions of the citadel,” he informed the Excelsior.
Sidhra Golf Course adjoining Tawi river has also suffered extensive damage as flood water from nearby nallahs washed away the maintained field filling the entire area with mud and trash. Fencing as well as pathway of the Golf Course has been damaged in the floods while the entire drainage system in the field is choked with trash.
Several huts in different areas, TRC Reception Centres, Transit Campus for Amarnath pilgrims at Kathua and Samba etc were also damaged while the office of Tourism Development Authority in Poonch was completely washed away along with the records, Mr Soujanya further said.
Similarly, the walkway along the Tawi river bed near Jogi Gate Jammu, Peerkho and Jia Pota walkway in Akhnoor were also washed away in the flash flood while LED wall worth Rs 24 lakh got damaged in the fury.
However without wasting much time, the restoration work on flood hit infrastructure has been initiated to avoid further damage to the structures, the Director informed.
Pertinent to mention here that the Union Ministry of Tourism has allocated Rs 100 crores for restoration of damaged Tourism infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir due to flash floods and this was conveyed in writing by the Union Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan during his meetings with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Chief Secretary Iqbal Khandey and State Tourism Minister G A Mir on Thursday last.
This amount of Rs 100 crore to J&K Tourism is in addition to Rs 127 crores, already prioritized for this year.
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