Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: The Tourism Federation of Jammu (TFJ) has officially raised a red flag regarding the survival of helicopter services at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and other major Himalayan shrines following a massive surge in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices.
Chairman TFJ, Rajesh Gupta stated today that the current pricing disparity has placed helicopter operators in an impossible financial position, which could soon lead to a complete halt of services or an unbearable increase in fares for pilgrims.
Highlighting a critical gap in Government policy, Mr Gupta pointed out that while the price of ATF for scheduled commercial airlines was capped at approximately Rs 1,04,927 per kilolitre in April 2026—a moderated increase from Rs 96,638 in March—non-scheduled helicopter operators have been excluded from this relief. “Consequently, these essential pilgrimage services are being forced to pay a staggering Rs 2,07,341 per kilolitre, effectively doubling their fuel costs overnight. For these helicopter operators, fuel represents nearly one third of their total running costs, and without the protection of the similar price cap granted to major airlines, they are facing an unprecedented 115 percent surge in expenses,” he explained.
The Federation emphasized that helicopter companies cannot sustain operations for long under such a “double price” burden, especially since fares for shrines like Mata Vaishno Devi are fixed by the Shrine Board and cannot be adjusted unilaterally.
Rajesh Gupta warned that if the Government does not intervene to extend the price cap to the pilgrimage sector or provide a dedicated fuel subsidy, the financial strain will inevitably fall on the devotees. This would make the holy yatra significantly more expensive for the elderly and physically challenged pilgrims who rely almost entirely on these aerial services, he added.
The Tourism Federation of Jammu has urgently appealed to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Chief Minister of Uttrakhand and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure that pilgrimage remains accessible to all by addressing this fuel price crisis immediately.
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