Resumption of yatra fails to lift biz in Katra

Dinesh Manhotra

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 30

Even though yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi was resumed on August 16 with restrictions, the business community of Katra — the base camp of the holy cave shrine — is not optimistic, as they believe it would take another six months for businesses to return to normalcy.

“It is difficult to assess the total loss incurred during five months when the yatra was suspended, but as per a rough estimate, the business community has suffered a loss of over 6,000 crore during the period,” Jugal Kishore Sharma, a prominent hotelier of Katra, told The Tribune. He said over 1.5 lakh people, either directly or indirectly, were earning their livelihood from pilgrims coming to the shrine.“Although the yatra has been resumed, it will take nearly six months for the situation to return to normal,” Sharma said, and expressed regret at the attitude of Shrine Board, which he said was not “very encouraging”.

Before lockdown, on an average, 40,000 to 50,000 pilgrims were visiting Katra daily, providing livelihood to over 1.5 lakh people. However, after the lockdown was lifted, the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine has gone down drastically, with only 300 to 400 persons coming daily.

Rakesh Wazir, president, Hotels and Restaurants Association, Katra, said hotels, lodges, restaurants and shops, barring those dealing in essential commodities and dhabas, were still shut. The hotel and tourism industry was the worst-hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.

“Since local pilgrims do not stay in hotels, economy will get a boost only when pilgrims from other parts of the country will start visiting in large numbers,” said Wazir.

Kishore asked the authorities to announce a special economic package for the business community.