Promote local transporters to cater tourist influx

‘Outside private vehicles used for commercial purposes’

BILAL HUSSAIN

The travel and hotelier associations of Kashmir on Sunday maintained that the state government should uphold and encourage local transporters to cater the tourist influx in the valley.
President, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, Rouf Ahmad Tramboo told Kashmir Times that the travel operators of the valley are engulfed with lots of troubles. “The state should promote local private transporters to venture into the tourist transportation sector,” he said, “This would not only help in employment generation but will help the local economy as well.”
The outside transport coaches take advantage of non-availability of the local transports to move around the tourists in the valley. “We don’t have tourist coaches available in the state,” Rouf claims.
According to him the public sector, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, and J&K State Road Transport Corporation, too doesn’t have capacity in terms of tourist coaches. By now the state should have been far better in terms of the tourism facilities.
On the grievance of Maharashtra Tour Organizers Association and reduction of entry tax at Lakhanpur Rouf said that they should be put to higher taxes. On an average, over 200 coaches from outside ply on the valley roads in a day, it is not organized, he added.
He is of the view that the soft loans should be provided to the local tour operators. “We have approached the concerned agencies for all possible support for easy loans. We are being assured but nothing concrete has been achieved as of date,” he said.
He echoed other concern that the private vehicles from outside is being used for commercial activities. “The sate should ensure that no outside private vehicle be used as commercial purposes. This affects our local economy”, he lamented.
The Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Association (KHARA) President, Siraj Ahmad President told said that let the government come up with the concrete policy, which would laurel local tour operates by provide good incentives.
What is need is that the tourists transport both from SRTC and private entrepreneurs to be upgraded with latest hi-tech coaches. So, that the outside coaches would be discouraged, said a local tour operator.
To mention, recently a representation of Maharashtra Tour Organizers Association had a meeting with Minister for Tourism, Rigzin Jora and deliberate upon the issue of charging entry tax of Rs 2000 per bus per day at Lakhanpur by the J&K Transport Department.