2 weeks Ago
1 2 3 Pune/Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar/Nashik/Kolhapur: The sheer audacity and brazenness of the terrorist attack at Pahalgam on Tuesday has struck fear in the hearts of several tourists from Maharashtra and forced them to cut short their tours and look for options to return home. For Pune resident Jyoti Zurunge and her group, Pahalgam was the last place of sightseeing on their Kashmir trip, but it ended unexpectedly. "We were in the area when the terrorists opened fire on tourists.
Army personnel evacuated everyone to safety and later to Srinagar," she told TOI on Wednesday. PWD assistant engineer Aditya Khatate, along with 65 members of his group, was on their way to Betaab Valley but Army personnel blocked the road and advised them to turn around. "We drove back to Srinagar and took shelter in a hotel, apprehending trouble.
A bandh has been observed in Srinagar. We are safe, but we want to come home," Khatate said. He said they have reached out to local MLAs and Pune MP Muralidhar Mohol for help.
"Tourists, however, are facing difficulties in booking flights due to heavy rush and escalation in fares." With tears in his eyes, Adil Bhai, tour manager of a group of tourists from Nashik, said: "Gunah kisi ek ne kiya, aur saja pura Kashmir bhugtega (Someone committed the crime, and the whole of Kashmir will suffer the punishment)." After the news of the attack broke, Adil took all of them to his home and gave them food.
"He then brought us to our hotel in Srinagar, and on Wednesday morning, he again came to to meet us," Uttam Avhad, one of the tourists, said. Pune lawyer Vijaysinh Thombare and his wife, Rupali Thombare Patil, were also in the same hotel along with 100 tourists from Maharashtra. "Most of them have returned air tickets this week.
But everyone wants to leave here immediately." Rupali said. Adil called the incident an act against humanity.
"The assailants must be animals and not humans. From street vendors to hotel owners, all will have to face the consequences." Divisional disaster management officials in Marathwada said 15 travellers from the region — a couple from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, four from Tuljapur in Dharashiv district, six from Jalna district and three from Ausa taluka in Latur district — were in Srinagar and nearby places.
"All of them are safe and have their return flights scheduled in the next few days as per their earlier plans. Some of them have requested us to prepone their flights to facilitate an early departaure," an official said. He added, "As per official strategy, evacuation of those killed or injured in the terror attack is prioritised over other requests.
All stranded tourists have been assured of assistance." Another group of eight tourists from Tuljapur was moved to Amritsar by Wednesday morning, officials said. As many as 612 visitors (last update received from the administration) from Pune district are in Srinagar and awaiting a safe passage back home.
Despite being in secure areas, many have contacted local administration seeking urgent assistance. "We have collated the entire list and forwarded it to state govt so that they can be brought back home safely," a Pune district disaster management official said. Another city resident, Shekhar Bedare and his family were to visit Pahalgam in the next couple of days.
"Now, we have shortned our trip and are planning to go home." Around 66 tourists from Kolhapur district were brought to Srinagar, and they are likely to board flights back to Maharashtra on Thursday. Four tourists from Nashik, who were at Pahalgam, are on their way home now, said Brijmohan Chaudhari, a tour operator.
From Satara district, seven tourists are in Srinagar. Mahesh Kulkarni, a resident of Karad, said, "We are now at Dal lake. We were to visit Pahalgam on Thursday.
We have booked return train tickets. But, we are not sure if it will run on time." Travel plan cancellations Travel associations in Pune and Nashik said many who had made bookings for trips to Jammu & Kashmir in the coming months were cancelling their plans.
Santosh Gupta, who owns travel firm Shree Vinayak Holidays in Pune, understood and agreed when a client of his, who had made bookings for 12 people from Kothrud for a nine-day stay in Kashmir, requested him to cancel it. "The incident is such that people are really shaken." There is a similar situation in Nashik division as well, said Sagar Waghchaure, president of Travel Agents Association of Nashik.
Datta Bhalerao, a tour operator, said he cancelled two trips scheduled for May 4 and May 14, respectively, with 24 tourists on each group. "I have given an option for rescheduling their tours in the next few months." The incident was set to have a significant impact on tourism, said Mehboob Shaikh, chairman of Travel Agents Association of India (central and south Maharashtra chapter).
"Many are now reconsidering their trips due to safety concerns. And those already in the region are rushing to leave, leading to a surge in demand for flights." The family of Gautam Kumar (name changed on request), residents of Hadapsar, said they would not like to travel anywhere now.
"We are cancelling our what it could have been the first Kashmir visit. I even suggested traveling to Shimla but my wife said no. The visuals on television and social media have scared her very much," the engineer by profession said.
Another operator from Nashik, Brijmohan Chaudhari, said two groups with 30 tourists have cancelled their bookings for J&K..
