Srinagar, Sep 3: The Tourism Department in Kashmir has established “Help Desks” at different places to provide all assistance, guidance, and help to tourists in the valley.

Mobile and internet facilities were also available at these centers for the tourists, officials said.

A large number of tourists from different parts of the country, particularly Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi, and other northern states are in Kashmir. However, the situation at tourist places was normal and there is absolutely no threat to guests.

Keeping in view the prevailing situation in the valley following the death of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday night, the tourist department has established a help desk for tourists in Srinagar (Tourist Reception Centre), the famed health resort of Pahalgam, the world-famous ski resort of Gulmarg and Sonamarg. These help desks will have internet and mobile facility, they said, adding that tourists will be provided all assistance, guidance, and help to make their stay in Kashmir comfortable.

However, tourists alleged that they remained confined in their hotel rooms for the past two days due to restrictions. Those who had landed in Kashmir only on Wednesday said they had just five to six days tour out of which two days was a total waste. The main problem is the nonavailability of the internet coupled with mobile phones not working, they said but added they managed to inform their families about their welfare from the hotel landline.

Those associated with tourism alleged that snapping of the internet could prove very costly for them this year too. ‘We cannot contact our guests who were scheduled to arrive here this weekend, they said, adding that this could send a wrong signal to people in the country who have planned to visit Kashmir.

They said in 2019 tourism suffered heavy losses when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A besides imposed curfew and snapped all communication networks.

In 2020, it was due to COVID that tourists stay away from Kashmir and this year arrival of guests had started to witness an increase, restriction, and the internet ban was back. (UNI)