Kufri small tourism workers face uncertain future

About 10,000 persons of Kufri and adjoining 12 panchayats are engaged in tourism and allied services and now the livelihood of porters, guides, horse owners, people engaged in adventure and star-gazing activities, travel agents, taxi drivers and others, is lost” — Sohan Singh Thakur, up-pradhan of Kufri panchayat

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 15

Life will not be the same for Sunuru Devi (in her early sixties) who runs a small dhaba (tea stall) alone in Kufri on the periphery of Shimla. Her husband died a few years back.

The past three weeks have been tough for her. She has to fend for herself during curfew and the uncertainty about livelihood gives her sleepless nights as there is no source of income.

This is not the lone case in Kufri where a majority of people were engaged in tourism-related activities. Preetam, a local taxi driver, is worried about the loan instalment. “I have bought a taxi eight months back and now Covid epidemic has brought life to a halt,” he said.

The place, which was always overcrowded with tourists, wears a deserted look. A large number of locals, who were working in adventure parks, hotels, restaurants, are facing the threat of losing jobs. Most people had given up farming and taken to tourism for better income.

About 10,000 persons of Kufri and adjoining 12 panchayats are engaged in tourism and allied services and now livelihood of porters, guides, horse owners, people engaged in adventure and star-gazing activities, travel agents, taxi drivers and others, is lost, said up-pradhan of Kufri panchayat Sohan Singh Thakur.

The government is providing the poor with essential commodities but feeding horses has become a tedious task. With no grass available in the forests, over 200 horse owners are finding it difficult to feed over 1,000 horses as it requires an additional Rs 200 per day per horse, adds Thakur who is also the president of the Paryatan Ashv Malik Sudhar Sabha.

“We have kept our fingers crossed and wish that the countrymen remain safe. Economic activities will take a long time to get normal. The tourist inflow is not expected to gain momentum before December 20,” says Nishant nag, owner of an amusement park in Kufri.