Tourism in Jammu feels the heat of Jat stir

The Jat agitation in Haryana has severely affected tourism and business activities in the state as rail and road connectivity continue to be suspended for the fourth consecutive day today.
The business community of the state has been severely affected due to the Jat agitation in Haryana as their products couldn’t reach the state since last Friday.
The tourism sector is facing a lot of hardships due to suspended trains and buses since Saturday and all taxi operators, hoteliers and other tourism-related business here are facing the heat of the Jat agitation in Haryana.
Shopkeepers and lodge owners at bus stand and railway station here are the worst sufferer of the suspension of the train and bus services.
“Our business has fallen by 80 per cent in the last four days as the railway station has become deserted due to the suspension of most of the trains,” Ramesh Kumar, a dhaba owner at the Jammu-Tawi railway station, said.
All hoteliers have faced huge losses as most of their bookings have been cancelled due to the Jat agitation in Haryana. The warehouse in Jammu has not received a single truck of commodities in the last four days.
“The tourism industry has totally collapsed in the last four days. Though adequate stock is available in the market and the warehouse, if the agitation continues for two more days, there can be shortage of commodities in Jammu,” said Rakesh Gupta, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu.
Meanwhile, all 12 pairs of trains continue to be suspended except seven pairs which run via Saharanpur.
Rakesh Verma, Director, Tourism, Jammu, said, “We cannot calculate it, but the Jat agitation in Haryana has negatively affected tourism in Jammu.”