Operation Sindoor: Uncertainty grips Kashmir, after India's retaliatory move

After India's retaliatory airstrike inside Pakistan's borders, uncertainty grips the people of Kashmir. Also, what adds to it is the closure of the only civilian airport in the Kashmir valley. However, the Srinagar airport is being closed down only till 12 pm. Moreover, the Kashmiris who are temporarily out of the valley think they could be stranded if the situation persists. 

Sadaf (name changed), 44, who had left Kashmir last week for her mother's cancer treatment is taken by fear and thinks that she could be stranded in Delhi if the situation continues. "Where will we stay in Delhi if they continue to cancel our flights?" she complained. 

However, according to officials, there will be announcements of advisories and precautions from time to time to deal with the ongoing issue judiciously. An official said, "There will always be cross-state movement. That cannot be stopped."

Another private company official Maqsood Ali, who is stranded in Leh says that the flights take off from Leh only on two days, Wednesday and Thursday. "I had a morning flight but it got cancelled eventually."

After the Pahalgam attack, the valley is facing an economic decline in its tourism industry. With the fear of airport closures, the inflow of people could cripple further. 

People associated with the tourism industry say that after the attack, people in the tourism sector were expecting help from the government.

“They should have been thinking of  how to lower the airfares and revive the Kashmir tourism," a local taxi driver at Boulevard road said, "but the airfares are just normal." With the sudden change of events now, the tourist season is well over for now. 

India