Tourist influx reduces in Jammu amid tensions over Pahalgam terror attack

Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 28 (ANI): Rakesh Wazir, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association in Katra, on Monday said that the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack has "significantly" impacted the influx of tourists and bookings even in the Union territory of Jammu. He said that at least 35 per cent of bookings have been cancelled.
"The Pahalgam terrorist attack has had a significant impact on the entire booking. Bookings are getting cancelled continuously. According to our assessment, about 35 to 37 per cent of bookings have been cancelled so far. The number of people in the yatra has been reduced to merely 20,000 to 22,000 from 45,000," Wazir told ANI.
Appealing to people that the situation was never disturbed in places like Katra, he said that the notion that people have about the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir needs to change.
"I appeal to people that the situation in Katra, in particular, was never disturbed before, nor is it today. The place where this happened is also very far away. And if we talk about the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the entire situation here is fine. There is a need to change the notion people have," Wazir added.

Meanwhile, a man has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a registered porter and offering services on the route of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, police officials confirmed.
According to the Police Station Bhawan, located at Vaishno Devi, the accused has been identified as Mast Ali, son of Nazir Ahmed and a resident of Harot Kot village in Surjan Dhar, Reasi district.
He was caught posing as a "Pithu (porter)," which the police said violated the orders issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office. Ali was operating without a valid registration or service card, which is a mandated requirement to provide any kind of service related to a porter, palki, or pony.
The country mourns the loss of 26 people, who were gunned down by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22. The incident has intensified diplomatic responses amid heightened security concerns between the two neighbouring countries. (ANI)