By Gowher Bhat
Flying to Kashmir has become a financial gamble. What was once a simple, affordable trip
has turned into a burden, a steep climb that many can’t afford. The price of air tickets has
shot up, and the people who used to visit the valley are now staying away. The numbers
speak for themselves. Airfares are out of control. They make international travel look like a
bargain. A ticket to Dubai, cheaper than one to Srinagar. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
The cost of a flight to Srinagar is staggering. A one-way ticket from Delhi can now cost you
Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000. From Bangalore, it’s Rs 17,000. Flying from Mumbai? Get ready to
shell out Rs 27,000. Kolkata isn’t much better—Rs 18,000 for a one-way flight. These are
just economy class tickets, the kind that come with no extra legroom, no perks, just a seat
and a meal that most passengers barely touch. It’s not first class, it’s not luxury. It’s just a
flight, one that costs more than a lot of people can afford.
For families, it’s even worse. Javid Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar, paid Rs 16,500 per ticket
for a one-way flight from Delhi to Srinagar for his family of four. His total fare? A crushing Rs
66,000. All this while dealing with his father’s medical emergency. The stress of the situation
was compounded by the fact that Javid had to dip into his savings just to get his family
home. It’s a struggle many families in Kashmir are facing now—medical bills, flights, the
whole lot of it. It’s a hit to the heart, and it’s a hit to the wallet.
This skyrocketing cost has drawn attention, not just from travelers, but from politicians as
well. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism,
and Culture has raised concerns. They’ve pointed out that these airfares are pushing tourists
away from Kashmir. How could they not? If flying to Dubai is cheaper than flying to Srinagar,
who would choose Kashmir? The valley’s tourism industry, once a lifeline, is now gasping for
air.
For tourists, it’s become a choice between Kashmir and places abroad, places that offer
more for less. The cost of a trip to Srinagar now rivals the cost of a Dubai vacation. When
people have to make that kind of choice, it’s no wonder they’re picking the latter. No one
wants to spend all their savings on a single flight. It’s just not worth it anymore.
The fallout from these soaring ticket prices is already being felt in the tourism sector. Travel
agents are reporting a sharp decline in bookings, and hotels are bracing for a season of
empty rooms. What should be a bustling tourist destination is quickly becoming a place only
the wealthy can afford to visit. Kashmir’s charm, its natural beauty, its rich culture, is now an
exclusive experience, available only to those who can pay for it.
This has hit local businesses hard. It’s not just the travel agents or the hotels feeling the
pinch. For people who rely on the tourism industry to make a living, it’s a tough blow. Shops,
restaurants, tour operators—many of them are struggling, and some won’t survive this
downturn. It’s a ripple effect. One that started with the airlines and now reaches into every
corner of Kashmir’s economy.
But who is responsible for this? The reasons for the price hikes are tied to rising fuel costs
and operational expenses, according to the airlines. They say this is the reason they’ve had
to raise fares. But when you look at what passengers are paying, it doesn’t add up. The
airlines are charging more, but are they providing a better service? No. Passengers are still
getting cramped seats and tasteless food. There’s no justification for these inflated prices,
except for greed. The airlines are raking in profits while the people of Kashmir are left
struggling.
The question remains: who benefits? Certainly not the people of Kashmir. And certainly not
the tourists. The people who used to visit Kashmir, the ones who came for the beauty, the
culture, the history, they’re staying away. The high ticket prices have made it impossible for
many to visit, and those who can’t afford it are left wondering when they’ll get another
chance to return. If they can’t afford the flight, they won’t be able to experience the valley.
They won’t be able to reconnect with family, to relive memories, or to create new ones.
The high airfares are turning Kashmir into an exclusive destination. Only the rich can afford
it. The rest of the country? They’re priced out. Kashmir is no longer a place for the everyday
traveler. It’s a place for the wealthy few, and that’s a shame. The people of Kashmir deserve
more than this. The valley has long been a place where families could visit relatives, where
tourists could experience something new, something real. But now, it’s all about money. And
the people who don’t have it? They’re left behind.
The consequences of this shift in pricing go beyond just tourism. Kashmir’s local economy,
which has relied heavily on visitors for years, is beginning to show the strain. When the
tourists stop coming, the businesses close, the jobs disappear, and the livelihoods that once
thrived on the flow of visitors are lost. Kashmir risks becoming a place for the elite, where
only the rich can afford to visit, and the rest of the world is shut out. The people who rely on
tourism for their survival will be the hardest hit, and they may never recover.
It’s a situation that needs attention, and it needs to be addressed now. The government, the
airlines, and the policymakers all need to step in and find a solution. Kashmir cannot afford
to be priced out of existence. It can’t afford to become a destination only for the wealthy. For
the sake of the people who live here, for the sake of the businesses that depend on tourists,
something has to change.
The beauty of Kashmir is not meant to be locked behind a price tag. It’s meant to be shared,
to be experienced by anyone who wishes to visit. But at the current price of air tickets, that’s
not possible. Kashmir is becoming a place for the rich, and that’s not how it should be. The
people of the valley deserve better. They deserve a future where their home is accessible to
everyone – not just those who can afford to pay for it.
Until that happens, Kashmir will remain locked behind a financial barrier, a place out of reach
for many, even as it remains one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Author Bio: Gowher Bhat is a writer, storyteller, and educator. He specializes in literary fiction, family dramas, and suspenseful narratives that explore love, family, and life’s quiet struggles. As a columnist, he writes reflective articles offering thoughtful perspectives on society, culture, and the human experience.
