Leh, September 29:
Ladakh’s tourism industry has suffered another major blow, with the region already grappling with multiple crises. Further exacerbated by last week’s violence and curfew in Leh.
Local hotel, transport and business owners say tourist arrivals had already declined after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, and the clashes and curfew in Leh on September 24 have worsened the situation.
Following the violence, an indefinite curfew has been imposed in Leh city, and mobile internet services are suspended. A four-hour relaxation was granted on Saturday, with the rest of the day’s streets deserted and security forces deployed.
A hotel manager in Leh, said that for the past week, guests have been canceling advance bookings every day. The city’s lockdown has also led to a shortage of essential supplies.
Naseeb Singh has been working in Leh for the last ten years and he said that he is seeing such a situation for the first time.
Local transport businessman Rigzin Dorje said that tourism had almost come to a standstill after the Pahalgam terror attack. There was some improvement after a month of Operation Sindoor, but now the situation has worsened again.