How, important decisions about giving a push to tourism related measures in both the regions of the UT are later in the implementation stage, being seen nowhere can be gauged by the proposal to introduce chopper services to important tourist destinations having remained, so far, on papers only. Not only that, even the ones having been suspended in respect of Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri etc have not been resumed since these services were stopped all of a sudden several years back. Though by the benchmark of the standards prevailing in the UT in respect of implementation measures can afford ”leverage” to the proposal as only eight months ago the decision was taken, say in July last year but at least some headway in respect of raising the basic requisite infrastructure for the proposal should have been noticed. Since that is not, fears of having the much hyped decision gone into oblivion, cannot be overruled.
We agree that in the absence of a general craving for and good measure of demand from the tourists for such services to be operationally viable even with the inclusion of the proportionate subsidy component from the Government, such services cannot be started. In that eventuality, if the operators are not assured of compensation in case of losses incurred by them, they cannot obviously operate and ensure a better connectivity between known tourist destinations. In other words, that denotes enough spade work and subsequent measures to attract and motivate tourists to avail of such facility, have all to be done by the Tourism and other concerned departments so that helicopter services become an important option of visiting such far flung but enchanting sites and places by the incoming tourists. A comprehensive outlook coupled with planning on professional basis can work to have the scheme meet with full success. Running such services largely on the basis of subsidies from the UT Government only will be totally ill- advised, not long lasting and an invitation to feed a white elephant.
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