Valley travel agents allege helicopter-ticket black-marketing during Amarnath Yatra
Alleging black-marketing of helicopter tickets for the ongoing Amarnath yatra, Kashmir- based travel agents on Thursday demanded a CBI probe.
“There should be a CBI probe as some travel agents from outside (J&K) state are selling tickets at exorbitant rates and we get a bad name. Heli-ticketing for the yatra has turned into a mafia,” Tourist Trade Interest Guild (TTIG) chairman Mohammad Akram Siah told reporters here.
Siah was speaking on behalf of eight travel and tourism bodies of the Valley.
He also hinted at a possible nexus between the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) officials and the tour operators.
He said they were not being allowed to meet Governor NN Vohra, who heads the shrine board, by senior board officials.
“Why is helicopter license being given only to two companies? Why are not the SASB officials allowing us to meet the Governor despite several efforts from our side?” he asked.
Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir (ATOAK) president Rauf Tramboo sought Governor’s personal intervention in the matter.
“First, we want a CBI probe. Then the Governor should intervene and set the house in order. If he cannot do so, then? they should altogether stop the helicopter service,” he said.
Tramboo said the Valley-based agents “will give up the quota” of heli-tickets from next year in case the matter was not resolved.
PTI
