Srinagar: Around this time, flying to Leh from Jammu and Kashmir or Delhi will practically burn a hole in your wallet, especially if you’re a student or someone from a low-income family. Reason: The closure of the Srinagar-Leh route, along with a massive influx of travellers on the Delhi-Leh sector, has caused prices to skyrocket.
Due to the recent significant snowfall and subsequent closure of the Srinagar-Leh national highway since January, Ladakh is still cut off from the rest of the nation.
This time, air travel is the sole means of entering and leaving Ladakh because the road, which normally serves as the only land connection between the Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh area and the rest of India, is currently closed.
A number of individuals who intended to travel from Jammu or Delhi to Ladakh claimed the airlines were engaging in “open looting”.
According to a brief review of several travel websites, the weekend ticket between Delhi and Leh is surpassing Rs 33,000 per passenger, which is about three times the average fare on this route.
The sky-high airfares that make travel unaffordable have caused the public to express anger and disappointment.
Many people including students who have to go to Ladakh this time said that they are unable to do it because of the skyrocketing airfare.
“Ladakhis are suffering due to continuous cancellations of flights & skyrocketing airfare. Just reminding Jenab @JM_Scindia who once said that Even a person who wears ‘hawai chappal’can travel by ‘hawai jahaz’ as spelt out under PM’s vision. Where did the vision disappeared ? “ prominent social-political activist from Kargil Sajad Hussain Kargili tweeted.
Sajad Kargili said that the government should look into the matter and take up necessary steps so that the common people don’t suffer.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal on Monday raised the issue and concerns of exorbitant airfares for Ladakh and requested the government to take necessary action from their end. He also urged the government to start additional flights for Ladakh during winter, particularly so that the people including students, patients and elderly people don’t face any inconvenience.