The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Saturday expressed deep concern over the Government’s “inadequate preparedness” in responding to snowfall that has severely disrupted daily life across the Kashmir valley.
In a statement, KCCI Secretary General Faiz Bakshi expressed dismay that given the forecast of a snowfall which began on Friday, major roads were left unattended with minimal deployment of personnel and snow-clearing machinery by district authorities, municipalities and local bodies.
“Reports of passengers stranded along Jammu -Srinagar Highway is distressing.Tourists found themselves stranded enroute tourist destinations Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Dodhpathri, etc. Many stranded tourists were rescued.”
“The situation became so difficult that locals in Gund Kangan had to open their homes to stranded tourists, while others sought shelter in community centres. At many places, people opened masjids, homes for stranded tourists, which shows compassion and Kashmir’s hospitality. Some Hoteliers accommodated tourist on complimentary basis”, the KCCI said.
However, it raises question marks over the preparedness to manage the situation caused by a snowfall of moderate measure creating a difficult situation for the local populace.
In a region where snowfall and even heavy snowfall is a regular winter occurrence, the preparedness of concerned departments and officials is expected to be that of “Quick Response“ to pre-empt its consequences.
The situation has been further compounded by power outages and snow-covered roads, including inner locality streets, which reflect a gap in winter management protocols. The administration must ensure restoration of power supply on war footing across the valley.
“Furthermore, impact on Kashmir’s tourism sector is particularly concerning, as numerous visitors found themselves stranded en-route to their destinations. Such incidents damage Kashmir’s reputation as a premier tourist destination especially for winter tourism.It is worthwhile to mention that Government and stakeholders make huge efforts to promote tourism to Kashmir.”
The KCCI strongly urged the government to implement immediate measures to restore normal services and ensure rapid deployment of personnel and machinery during snowfall.
The KCCI emphasized that a more robust winter preparedness strategy, alongside prompt response mechanisms and boots on the ground, is essential for effectively managing such weather-related challenges, which are characteristic of Kashmir’s winter season.