Srinagar: Air travel to Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has become a luxury due to skyrocketing airfares, surpassing international flight costs.
According to Kashmir Media Service, average airfare from Delhi to Srinagar has risen from Rs 4,000-5,000 to Rs 8,000-12,000. Locals and tourists alike are feeling the pinch, with residents facing hardship and tourism promoters calling for capping airfares.
Residents of Srinagar who need to travel outside Kashmir or return to Srinagar for work, education, or medical reasons are facing compounded difficulties due to the soaring air travel costs.
Mushtaq Chaya, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club, expressed outrage over the exorbitant airfare hike, stating, “The government must take strict action against those responsible for this arbitrary pricing. A mechanism to cap airfares is crucial to prevent hardship for all.”
Muhammad Ibrahim Siah, who is associated with tourism industry, echoed similar sentiments, lamenting, “Air tickets to Kashmir are now costlier than flights to Gulf countries. We promote tourism year-round, but these airfares make our place more expensive than foreign destinations.”
