Srinagar: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been observing with concern the steep hike in the airfares. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, President of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that we have received representations from various stakeholders regarding this issue.
We failed to understand as there is no apparent reason to justify the abrupt arbitrary hike in the fares on this route when no such hike is at the same time being applied in case of other domestic destinations. The KCC&I has for a long time repeatedly brought to the notice and had given several suggestions to the Authorities in this regard and we hope that effective action would now be taken.
We demand that the air connectivity to the state should be improved in terms of additional flights during peak rush months so that the air fare could be controlled, and infrastructure to be put in place and maximum flight operations be extended from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm.
The worst and most pinching area while planning a trip that hits the intended Tourist as well as those connected with Tourism in Kashmir is the ever escalating Air Fares by the low cost carriers during the peak season. KCC&I Request Administration as such to put restrictions on the ever increasing fares that deter tourism flow in Kashmir.
The cost reaches such heights that people prefer to go to foreign destinations where the air tickets are lower than to Kashmir.
Hike in fares was not only a tourism issue but was a grave public interest issue. There is a large number of businessmen doing their business in different parts of the country, the students seeking education in different institutes of the country and the seriously ailing patients and their families who have to pay more for air travel than the cost of the medical treatment.
KCC&I has already taken the issue to the Authorities regarding restoring Srinagar – Dubai direct international flight as well as Cargo services also. We hope that the matter will receive due consideration.
The Chamber therefore, would like to request LG Manoj Sinha and the Airport Authority of India to intervene so that the problem gets redressed as soon as possible.

KR Desk