Tourists, Yatris leave Kashmir in large numbers

Sanjay Nahar, a Pune resident – who works for an NGO dealing with the betterment of Kashmiri students there, had to purchase three tickets for Srinagar- Delhi air-travel worth Rs 20,000 per head to ensure that his family, which was visiting the Valley for last 10 days is back home soon.

For last three-days, Nahar has been anxious. Nahar said hiswife and mother-in-law had to cut-short their tour itinerary after thegovernment order asking tourists and Amarnath Yatris to curtail their Kashmirvisit.

   

“Being away from the family, I was really tense on how toget them back to our home town. I am relaxed now that they have reached Delhiand will be on the way home soon. Last 48 hours have been full of anxiety andfear,” Nahar said.

Nahar who has been a frequent visitor to the Valley forsocial work says he is keen but apprehensive to visit Kashmir along with atelevision news crew. “A TV news crew is keen that I accompany them to theValley. I have been calling many friends in the Valley to ask if I can visit.In last 25 years this is the most fearful time I have come across,” saidNahar.  

With the air abuzz with speculations, Kashmir continued tobe gripped in panic on Sunday as tourists and Amarnath yatris continued toleave the Valley.  A large number oftourists, students and labourers were seen leaving Kashmir. In order to ensurethat air-travel from Kashmir is affordable, government-owned carrier Air Indiaon Sunday capped airfares on the Srinagar sector. Union Ministry of CivilAviation on micro-blogging site Twitter said Air India and several otherairlines had agreed to cap the airfares from and to Srinagar.   “Heeding to the advice of HonorableMinister  @HardeepSPuri, airlines haveagreed to take steps to put cap on airfare to/ from Srinagar @airindiain  has reduced fares to Rs 6715 Srinagar toDelhi and Rs 6899 Delhi to Srinagar till 15th August,” read the tweet.

Amid speculations, people continued to throng markets tomake purchase of essential commodities including petrol. Kashmir has remainedon the edge since Friday after an order asking tourists and Amarnath yatris toleave the Valley triggered panic among the residents as they started stockingup dry ration and essentials, fearing long law and order disturbance.  The state government issued an advisory toAmarnath pilgrims and tourists to curtail their stay in Kashmir immediately.Serpentine queues of people was also witnessed at ration depots and cooking gasrefill centres with empty LPG cylinders. “I visited the market continuously forlast few days to purchase stocks of food and medicines. No one is sure of whatwill happen so it is important to keep stock of all essentials,” said BasitAhmad, a Hyderpora resident.

Several families that had planned marriage celebrationsaround these days have now cancelled or modified the plans. “Dear guests pleaseconsider all our functions on 4th, 5th and 6th of August for wedding cancelleddue to the prevailing circumstances. Nikah will continue as scheduled.Apologies for the inconvenience,” read a post on social networking siteFacebook.

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