Airlines discount offers on India skies save Kashmir

When airlines are on discount spree selling tickets as low as Rs 999 on Indian skies, the air fare to Srinagar touches sky high with the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway every next day.
The air tickets from Jammu, Delhi and other cities to Srinagar have shot up abruptly as soon as highway got closed again due to continual rainfall, making travelling to Kashmir unaffordable.
The sky-high air fare to Srinagar is directly hitting tourist inflow to Kashmir who prefer other destination with much cheaper air tickets.
The cheapest air tickets on yatra.com by SpiceJet from Jammu to Srinagar costs Rs 12,207. Similarly, the GoAir ticket from Delhi to Srinagar costs Rs 12,972. MakeMyTrip.com sells Air India tickets from New Delhi to Srinagar at Rs 17,017 while the cheapest Jet Airways ticket from Jammu to Srinagar costs Rs 14,127.
Passengers complained that airlines and the travel companies are taking undue advantage of closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway and flood situation in Kashmir.
“It has become a norm for airlines to increase fares when people are coming back to the Valley after winter months and when highway remains closed,” said Tanveer Ahmad from Delhi.
Tanveer said it is inhumane to take undue advantage of the flood situation in the valley.
“They (airlines) knew that people are desperate to reach to their families at this time and they are just exploiting the situation,” he said.
The Srinagar-Jammu highway has been closed due to landslides caused by heavy rains since yesterday. In Valley, the downpour has led to sudden surge in water level in Jhelum causing flood like situation.
“I am stuck in Jammu for last three days. I want to be with my family but due to closure of road and high air fare, I am stranded here,” said Tariq Bhat.
Earlier this month, Government of India has proposed regulating air fares to prevent airlines from charging exorbitant prices in crunch times.
However, the proposal has not been implemented yet.
SP Traffic National Highway Javed Ahmad Koul said the highway remained closed on Monday.
“Only stranded vehicles were allowed from Ramban towards Srinagar. No fresh traffic was allowed from either side,” he said.
Koul said if weather permits and no landslides occurs, traffic would ply from Jammu to Srinagar on Tuesday.
National Conference working president Omar Abdullah on Sunday asked the Centre to operate additional flights between Jammu and Srinagar to allow people to return home in Kashmir in view of closure of the only road link between the Valley and rest of the country.