Patnitop tourism takes a beating due to Kashmir Turmoil

Editor

The ongoing unrest in the Valley has spoiled the tourism at Patnitop and affected the livelihood of the government (JK Tourism Development Corporation and Tourism Department) and private hoteliers besides all those dependent on the allied services.
With peak tourist season already over, the autumn setting in and school or college exams round the corner, Patnitop wears a deserted look even on Sundays as no local tourist was seen here on Sunday. According to the Manager, JKTDC, Patnitop, Karam Chand Bhardwaj, since June 10 the occupancy rate in the JKTDC and private resorts of Patnitop and surrounding areas like Padora, Kud and Batote has decreased to merely 5 per cent.
“The JKTDC being a public sector unit, not only our salaries are paid from the income accrued from here, but also the livelihood of all persons like taxi drivers, hotel employees, vendors, shopkeepers, mule owners, etc, is dependent on the tourism here,” he added.
The mule owners and vendors were seen sitting idle and waiting for the vehicles ferrying tourists to the famous tourist resort of the Jammu province.
However, the tour of the Chief Justice of India to his native village Batru Ukhral in Ramban district on October 9 proved to be of some respite for the hoteliers here as according to the sources, 32 rooms of the JKTDC Complex, seven JKTDC huts at Patnitop and five JKTDC huts at nearby Padora, besides 55 rooms of private hotels at Patnitop and Kud, were booked for the four judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice, J&K, judges of the J&K High Court and their accompanying staff or retinue and security men.
Batote, too, had witnessed some hustle bustle as eight rooms of the JKTDC Tourist Bungalow, all government huts, etc, were booked for two days.
The Patnitop Development Authority officials have availed themselves of the opportunity to repair and macadamise the 7.5-km circular road in Patnitop through the PWD. The road repair work is expected to be completed by next week.

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