Unfortunately after the deregulation of the country’s airline sector, airfares have become market-driven and are neither established nor regulated by the government giving ‘veto power’ to airline companies to raise the same arbitrarily.
Reportedly, due to this powerlessness of the government, travelling from Delhi to Dubai has become much cheaper than travelling from the national capital to Srinagar as airfares to Kashmir have skyrocketed. Believing the newspaper reports, airfare for Delhi to Dubai on December 31 was between Rs 10,000 to 13,000 per passenger, while between Delhi and Srinagar it costs over Rs 21,000 on the same date. Similarly, airfares from Mumbai to Srinagar were listed at Rs 21,843, and from Bengaluru, they exceeded Rs 20,000. It is for sure that the airline companies have been taking undue advantage of people’s vulnerability because the National Highway between Jammu and Srinagar has been blocked besides there is surge in tourist influx due to festivities.
This arbitrariness shown by the airlines’ unchecked fare policy has been affecting the people in many ways especially the students, ailing ones and the tourists as well. The situation is quite crucial as people are facing numerous hardships due to the government’s bizarre decision of losing the control on deciding the airfares as airlines being private entities seems to convert these days as their heydays to have maximum profit by fleecing the helpless air commuters through unreasonable hike in airfares.
The government cannot act as mute spectator in the matter although it is not in a position to direct the airlines to cut ticket prices but it can advise or at least request the airlines to act considerately because it cannot allow the air travel to become unaffordable as saving tourism in Kashmir is above all looking into the present critical situation of the Valley, where centre is taking all steps to restore normalcy and tourism being the mainstay of the economy cannot be left on the mercy of God.
It is tragic that despite the fact that the tourists wanted to come to Kashmir and explore its natural beauty, the cost of air tickets is making them look for other options. Now the ball is in government’s court as stakeholders of Valley can do nothing in this regard and if the situation continues to persist, the well anticipated winter season and the upcoming spring could see the most unexpected failure leading to a state of despair in the Valley.
