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| Time to upgrade, utilize own infrastructure for an 'upbeat' govt...? | | Arbitrary rates in bumper tourist season pinch pockets of tourists | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 27: The state government is upbeat about what is being seen as bumper tourist season in Kashmir this year rightly so, as the influx of tourists is heavy perhaps much more than it expected. The Chief Minister in one of his recent tweets expressed satisfaction on an optimistic note that peace must prevail for sustaining this spree. Riding high on this wave, does the government realize it is actually faltering in many ways in this direction…?
With situation calm and comfortable, everyday thousands of tourists are thronging world famous spots and resorts of Valley. The hotel owners , houseboat owners and many more associated with the industry say there is hundred percent occupancy and the bookings are full in advance till August. A heartening picture for everyone indeed. But all is not well with fares and rates of even eatables being sold at these renowned spots. Notwithstanding the pleasure and joy tourists derive from the picturesque spots abound with natural beauty, there are many who feel having been duped and overcharged on many fronts, before they leave for own destinations.
"There is no check from any authority on the rates being charged for the rooms at places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam... for my family it was like bargaining for a commodity in the market……..the rates of hotels with similar space and facilties varied with huge gaps even in the same vicinity", said Arvind Gupta from New Delhi. I guess it is the growing demand that makes the owners charge fare on whims , he said adding there must be some check or else the novices like me would be grossly misled. Arvind came with his family for the first time to Kashmir and concluded his trip not before paying obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.
One of the reasons that triggers the problem of occupancy is lack of measures in the government policy to rationalize the system, said the sources. The tourism department which is making efforts to promote and boost the tourism industry is not able to put its own things in order added the sources. Its huts and rooms in prized locations in Srinagar are not being utilized to harvest the heavy tourism potential , said one of the senior officers with the Tourism Department , wishing anonymity. Substantiating, he said almost all prized huts at Cheshmashahi stand occupied by the bureaucrats for years and no step is being taken to shift them to other places and utilize these huts for tourists who are desirous for staying in them, the location being truly exquisite. The rent in such is not less than Rs 5000 and would fetch huge amount to government, the official said.
Similar is the case with the rooms in prestigious TRC complex in Srinagar as most of these are occupied by the employees of state government. "It was on account of security reasons during peak of militancy that these employees were adjusted in the otherwise posh, luxurious hotel rooms of this complex…..but now that the situation has improved the government can always shift these employees to alternative places", said the officer, contending that the rates of these rooms in comparison to private hotel accommodations is rational and affordable.
While the tourist crowd is clamoring about irrational rent and fares being charged, the government doesn't bother to act neither on utilizing its own infrastructure to the fullest nor putting check on arbitrary rates on both room rent as well as on eateries.
Surprisingly, the rates of eatables are being charged exorbitantly , almost three times by the locals but also by the renowned restaurant owners from outside Kashmir to whom locals have sublet the space at famous spots and on the banks of Dal lake. High time concerned quarters to check arbitrariness or else it won't augur well for forthcoming tourist seasons. |
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