Srinagar: The Prime Minister's roundtable in Srinagar may help peace in Kashmir but it's not helping tourism. Houseboats on Dal Lake are empty and the usually crowed tourist spot is empty.
The venue for Wednesday's conference is just a few kilometres from the tourist hotspot, and therefore security is at an all time high.
Most tourists staying in the houseboats and hotels have moved out of Srinagar to places like Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Those who chose to stay back have this to say.
"We have not faced any difficulty other than lot of traveling restrictions around here and we heard about lot of explosions. But so far we have been lucky. This is the first time we are experiencing this. Apart from this everything is fine," says Manu Nihalani, a tourist.
Travel agents say the roundtable conference could not have come at a worst time. It is after all the peak tourist season.
CEO of Raja Rani Travels Abhijeet Ahuja says, "Two days ago there was a small incident where firing happened. That did not affect my tourists at large or tourist trade in Kashmir because they had starting accepting that things like these happened. But the timing of this conference to be held right in the middle of the peak tourist season has actually affected every tourist directly. What memories will they take back?"
The travel agents have met state government officials, outlining the inconvenience to tourists.
But there is little the government can do in view of the security arrangements for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit.
Director of J&K Tourism Farooq A Shah says, "Yesterday when we received reports that the road from Dal Gate had been closed, I took up the matter with higher security agencies and we opened the road at the same time and the road is open from Dal Gate to Nehru Park. I don't think there is any inconvenience."
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