Tourists from city struggle to get home, govt to arrange special flights amid uncertainty

Panic and uncertainty have gripped hundreds of tourists from Pune and other parts of Maharashtra following the terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday which has left them stranded in Jammu and Kashmir.

- Nadeem Inamdar

PUNE:

As fear grips the region, desperate efforts to return home are being thwarted by soaring airfares and skyrocketing hotel tariffs in Srinagar are making the situation worse.

"The airfares have almost doubled. A Srinagar-Pune flight for Thursday costs around ₹18,000, up from ₹10,000. Hotel charges have crossed ₹10,000 per night," said Vaishali Kulkarni, whose family is stuck in Srinagar.

Travel agencies in Pune have halted all upcoming departures to Kashmir and are now focused solely on getting their clients back.

"We are advising tourists to stay indoors and follow instructions from local authorities. We're coordinating with airlines and transport services for safe returns," said Nilesh Bhansali, director of Travel Agents Association of Pune (TAAP).

Deepak Pujari, director of Vihar Tours and Travels, said, "We are in continuous touch with our on-ground staff and district officials. Bringing everyone back safely is our top priority."

According to Pune's tourism associations, at least 356 tourists from the district are in different parts of Kashmir—mostly Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Sonmarg.

Special flights to bring back stranded tourists Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday directed arrangements to be made for special flights to bring back citizens of Maharashtra stranded in Kashmir.

"A special flight has been scheduled from Srinagar to Mumbai tomorrow, April 24. The IndiGo flight will bring 83 passengers from Maharashtra to Mumbai. The list of passengers on this flight is attached. Efforts are also underway to arrange another flight, and a list of passengers for that flight is currently being prepared," said Fadnavis.