PUNE: Close on the heels of an advisory by the Jammu and Kashmir government urging tourists and Amarnath Yatris to stay away from the valley, 100% of Puneites cancelled their pilgrimage plans.
“Two families were already there in Kashmir. After the advisory, they are returning to Pune. Another group of three families were to go on the pilgrimage after August 19, but cancelled their plan,” a source from a local travel firm said.
Travel companies in the city said they have also recorded a 50-60% cancellation of travel plans to Leh-Ladakh.
“If a traveller is already in Leh, then there is no problem. But if they plan to reach Leh via Srinagar, it becomes problematic,” another tour operator said. “A group planning to go to Srinagar and then travel by road to Leh are now reconsidering their plans,” the operator said, explaining, “Many prefer the road from Srinagar to Leh as it is cheaper, and those 50-60% are cancelling their bookings.”
“These days, nobody wants to take a risk for leisure travel,” Santosh Gupta, owner of Shree Vinayak Holidays, said.
Some travellers who still want to go to Leh are adopting a wait-and-watch approach. “Most of Leh is closed from October 1 to April 30 on account of heavy snowfall. Travellers are now confused about whether or not to plan for Leh,” Shaishav Parekh, partner of Panam Tours and Travels, and honorary secretary of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Pune Chapter, said.
Nikhil Thakurdas, who owns Odyssey Tours and Travels, however said he did not get any cancellation requests from his clients. “Our clients may decide on this by early next week. There are two road routes to Leh, one from Manali and the other from Srinagar. Around 95% of the travellers will now take the Manali route or a direct flight from Delhi or Mumbai to Leh,” Thakurdas said.
|
