Scanners installed to check pilgrims
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 12: There is almost 100 per cent cancellation of bookings at the hotels here while the business of wholesalers and retailers has also suffered a heavy fall as the dreaded Covid-19 has made its presence felt in Jammu.
Though the transporters claimed 50 per cent reduction in the number of pilgrims they carry to Katra for the world famed shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, Shrine Board maintained that there is no reduction in the number of pilgrims.
“Already hit by the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A, the ailing business of Jammu has been reduced further to its lowest ebb by the panic created by the Coronavirus,” said Tushar Mahajan, Secretary Chamber of Traders Federation.
Talking to Excelsior over phone, Mahajan further said that closure of malls and theatres has its effect on the business as a common person sitting at home links these developments with something wrong happening in the city.
“Today people even hesitate to buy daily need items,” he claimed adding that most of the retail shops are facing a fall of 70 per cent of business.
“This adverse effect on the business is there for the last some days,” he maintained.
Mahajan also said that Jammu markets mostly buy things from Delhi, Mumbai or Punjab which are already suffering crisis for the last two months as they make their maximum purchases from China either in the form of finished products or spares.
“Under such crisis we expect the Government to provide tax benefits and extension in dates of filing IT returns for the business community,” he said.
President of Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association, Surinder Mahajan said business in Jammu has been affected by the Coronavirus panic.
“The tourists coming to Jammu have reduced and the business linked with tourists has been directly affected by this,” he said.
General Manager of a reputed hotel rued that 75 per cent of Food & Beverages business is down these days while that of rooming division has been lowered by over 95 per cent.
Pawan Gupta, president of Hotel Association of Jammu said Coronavirus panic has led to complete cancellation of bookings in most of the hotels in Jammu.
“All the hotels are empty and this is the situation for the last about 15 days,” he said.
He added that they will soon meet the concerned LG’s Advisor, K.K Sharma and the LG to seek relaxations in taxes and extension in dates of filing IT returns.
Deepak Gupta, general secretary of Ware House Traders Association said that people are panicked and are not coming to the market and this has badly hit their business which has been lowered by 50 per cent these days.
He claimed no shortage of anything including sanitizers and said that the panicked people are not coming to the market as a precautionary measure.
TS Wazir, Chairman J&K Transport Welfare Association when contacted said that there was decline in Katra bound pilgrims.
He also said that this reduction is only about 20 per cent on other routes in Jammu.
CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Ramesh Kumar when contacted said so far there is no significant reduction in the number of visiting pilgrims at the cave shrine.
He further informed that they have put in place Thermal Scanners to check visiting pilgrims while the pilgrims from the Coronovirus affected countries are not allowed for pilgrimage.
“These Scanners have been installed at the track and on Helipad at Katra,” Kumar informed adding: “We are also in constant touch with the health authorities to report any case of infected pilgrim if it comes.”
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