Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 23: Around Rs 400 crore worth projects sanctioned under Prime Minister’s Development Programme (PMDP) for augmenting infrastructure in tourism sector are in limbo because of the prevailing unrest in Kashmir valley. Moreover, this vital sector has suffered loss of around Rs 3000 crore thereby leaving disastrous impact on the local economy.
Under PMDP, an amount of Rs 400 crore was kept for infrastructure development at new and existing tourist destinations and the Department of Tourism had formulated projects for infrastructure development at Daksum, Doodhpathri, Kokernag, Verinag, Pahalgam and Salamabad (Uri).
“But all these projects are now in limbo because of the prevailing situation”, an official spokesman said, adding “as the working season in Kashmir valley will come to end with the onset of winter, it is unlikely that work on these projects will commence during the current year”.
According to the preliminary estimates, the tourism sector alone has suffered a loss of around Rs 3000 crore due to the unrest and the people associated with tourism trade apprehend that the prevailing situation could adversely affect the tourist arrivals during the next year as well with disastrous implications for the local economy.
According to Tourism Department officials, several film crews who were scheduled to be in Kashmir for shooting of films during summers also changed their destination in view of the prevailing situation in the Valley.
While around 3 lakh tourists had visited Kashmir between July 2015 and September 2015, there has been almost trickling tourist footfall in the Valley for the corresponding period of the current year. Tourism destinations and hotels both in private and Government sector have been worst affected and most of the hotels are left with zero occupancy. During the period between August 1 and August 12, a total of 10,059 tourists visited Kashmir valley against 89,243 tourists during same period last year.
Managing Director, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC), Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said that most of the Corporation’s properties in Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yousmarg and other destinations have 2-4 per cent occupancy which ought to have been 90-100 per cent around this time of the year.
Similarly, accommodations of Tourism Department and Tourism Development Authorities have also witnessed a shortfall of 90-95% compared to last year.
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