Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) and Kashmir Chamber of Industries and Commerce (KCCI) on Monday urged the state government to invoke the Essential Services Act to control airfares in the Srinagar sector, which have been skyrocketing due to ongoing highway closure.
According to statement, the apex business bodies of Kashmir and Jammu divisions on Monday held a joint meeting to discuss the chaotic situation prevailing because of the continuous closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway for the past few days. The situation has adversely affected the population causing widespread disruptions in schedules and thrown normal life out of gear in Kashmir. “The supply of essential commodities including medicines has also been adversely affected. Our tourism sector has suffered heavy losses. With trucks stranded for weeks on the highway, transportation of goods and supplies to and from the Valley has also become a problem,” read the statement.
Stranded passengers in Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar are left with no alternative but to pay exorbitant rates for air travel to get back home, read the statement.
The urged the government for the implementation of some measures for easing out air travel in the sector, which include invoking the Essential Services Act to control airfares in line with the Civil Aviation distance based pricing policy of capping fares to Rs 2500 for hour long flights and Rs 1200 for 30 minute flight.