First Terror Strike, Now Highway Closure Cast Long Shadow on Kashmir’s Economy
Apple growers, tour operators count mounting losses as valley reels under twin shocks
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: The first terror strike of the season followed by the prolonged closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway has cast a heavy shadow on Kashmir’s economy, hitting both the apple industry and tourism sector hard.
Growers and tour operators say the situation has created an atmosphere of uncertainty just when the valley was looking forward to the autumn harvest and peak tourist season.
The closure of the highway for nearly three weeks has already resulted in apple losses running into crores. The recent strike, meanwhile, has left the tourism industry worried about cancellations and declining footfall.
“We are staring at losses that are unbearable,” said Ghulam Nabi Dar, an apple grower from Shopian.
“Our produce is perishable. Every day of delay means more rotting fruit, more financial distress. We are supposed to send 1,500 truckloads daily but with the highway blocked, the numbers have shrunk drastically. The rail option is welcome but it cannot match the road capacity.”
Tour operators echo similar concerns. “The attack has sent a ripple of fear among visitors,” said Bilal Ahmad Khan, a Srinagar-based tour operator. “We were finally seeing a revival in bookings this autumn after a challenging summer. But now tourists are calling to cancel or postpone. Even a small dent in arrivals at this time of the year hits us badly because autumn is one of our peak seasons.”
Farooq Ahmad Wani, who runs a travel agency in Srinagar, added: “We were hosting groups from Gujarat and Maharashtra, but after the attack, two of them have cancelled outright. The highway closure is making matters worse—tourists feel trapped and insecure when there is no smooth connectivity.”
Another operator, Nusrat Jan, said the uncertainty is pushing the industry back to square one.
“We worked hard to promote Kashmir as a safe destination after a good summer season. But one incident changes the perception overnight. Bookings for houseboats, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam have slowed down drastically.”
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union has estimated losses to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore due to the prolonged highway disruption. At the same time, the tourism sector fears the twin impact of insecurity and transport paralysis.
“We appeal to the government to ensure smooth passage of fruit trucks and restore confidence among visitors,” said Abdul Rashid Bhat, another grower. “This is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. Both apples and tourism are lifelines—we cannot afford to let them bleed.”
Industry watchers warn that the combined blow of security worries and logistical hurdles could derail the valley’s fragile economic recovery just ahead of the festival season.
