Kashmir Unrest: Jammu Hoteliers suffer over Rs 250 cr loss

Jammu :The hoteliers of Jammu have suffered losses over Rs 250 crore due to present unrest in the Kashmir Valley since July 8 when security forces eliminated Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani in a counterinsurgency operation. "The hoteliers have suffered a financial loss of more than Rs 250 crore till date due to continued disturbance and turmoil in the Kashmir valley’’, Inderjeet Khajuria, president All Jammu Hoteliers and Lodges Association here today said.

Kashmir turmoil so far has claimed 67 lives and more than 6000 persons, including security personnel got injured in more around 40 days violence. "With rail link extension to Katra, the hotel industry had suffered a great set back and annual Shri Amarnath yatra was the only hope of relief and expecting 5 lakhs yatries this year, which unfortunately did not cross the 2.20 lakhs mark, which is even less than the registration figure of 2.50 lakhs due prevailing tension in the Kashmir Valley,’’ Mr Khajuria said.

He said that the Yatra which started on July 2, a week before the protests erupted in the Kashmir valley, resulted in a vertical fall and decline as even the 2.50 lakhs registered pilgrims did not make it to the Sanctorum with the lowest number of devotees having Darshan of ice-lingam recorded as 2.20 lakhs, ever low in the last decade. "Despite having inputs by the governments at the state and the central level, the anti-national elements succeeded in their nefarious design do disturb the Yatra’’, he said adding that which in-fact had gathered momentum during the first week.

Mr Khajuria said that every year all the stakeholders traders, political parties and other concerned would join hands to make the fullest use of tourism season May-June without any hurdle from separatists and anti-national forces, but once the Amarnath Yatra approaches, anti-national forces, besides militants and others, create unrest with a mission to scuttle yatra. "Government should be extra vigilant to preempt the nefarious designs of such elements to scuttle the Yatra two months in advance than its start,’’ the hoteliers body head said. (UNI)