Srinagar, Feb 10 : Hundreds of Kashmir bound passengers were left high and dry after the air India flight scheduled to leave from Delhi for Srinagar announced a sudden cancellation with the passengers alleging Rs 20,000 each passenger as a travel fare. Many passengers termed the sudden steep hike in the passenger fair from Delhi- Srinagar as an open loot and sought reasons from the air-India officials as to why they cancelled the flight without any solid reason.
A group of Srinagar-bound passengers including those who were returning home after performing Umrah, told news agency over phone that the flight A14825 of air India cancelled the flight scheduled to take off from Delhi to Srinagar announced its cancellation leaving at least 180 passengers high and dry.
“After cancelling the flight, now the same Air India officials are charging Rs 20,000 as the airfare for booking a ticket from Delhi to Srinagar, this is an open loot, nothing else,” said Aijaz Rasool, who had reached Delhi after performing Umrah. “Many Kashmiris who were about to board the flight to reach Srinagar were asked that they can’t board the plane as the flight stands cancelled. Many of us don’t have that much of money with them. Charging Rs 20,000 for travelling from Delhi to Srinagar is about fleecing the common people of Kashmir.”
News agency also received scores of calls from the Srinagar-bound passengers who alleged that the officials of air-India were playing tricks with them and charging a hefty sum for booking a ticket to travel to Srinagar from Delhi.
“They know that we are under duress and are left with no choice to travel to Kashmir by air as the road stretch from Jammu to Srinagar stands closed. Now they are resorting to open loot by charging RS 20,000 from us,” said Rashida, a female passenger. “I am travelling along with my two daughters and son. How can Rs 80,000 for four tickets. Is this the way they treat Kashmiris.
The passengers appealed the Governor S P Malik to immediately intervene to resolve the issues and to mitigate the sufferings of thousands of passengers stranded in Delhi intending to reach Srinagar. (KNS)
