Pune NGO comes to aid of tourists after Pahalgam attack
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Pune: The well-established network of city-based NGO,
Sarhad
, in Jammu and Kashmir proved invaluable within a few hours of Pahalgam terror attack.
From arranging transportation to helping find hotel accommodation and assisting the administration in contacting the tourists, the NGO volunteers provided much-needed help during the crisis.
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Sarhad works to integrate Kashmiri youths into the mainstream by providing them with education. Having worked for several decades in terror-affected areas of Kashmir, the NGO has developed a strong network in the state. On the day of Pahalgam terror attack, this network was mobilised to assist tourists from the state.
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Speaking to TOI, Sanjay Nahar, the founder of Sarhad, said, "Within a few hours of
Pahalgam attack
, my phone started ringing constantly as several tourists from the state who were in Kashmir started calling me for help. Incidentally, a group of our volunteers were already in Kashmir, and we started facilitating communication between tourists and the administration."
Nahar also added that NGO's volunteers contacted local transporters who managed to bring tourists to Srinagar. "There were a couple of groups consisting of around 100 tourists who wanted to travel to Srinagar from Sonmarg, but they were not getting any transportation. Since our NGO regularly avails services of local transporters, our volunteers immediately got in touch with them, and they responded positively, bringing all the tourists to Srinagar."
Even after reaching Srinagar, some tourists found it difficult to make arrangements for accommodation and food, with most places shut following the terror attack. Adil Malik, one of the volunteers of Sarhad, said, "We got in touch with around 50 tourists from Solapur who were unable to find accommodation. We managed to convince some hoteliers in Srinagar and helped in securing accommodation as well as food."
Pune: The well-established network of city-based NGO, Sarhad, in Jammu and Kashmir proved invaluable within a few hours of Pahalgam terror attack.
From arranging transportation to helping find hotel accommodation and assisting the administration in contacting the tourists, the NGO volunteers provided much-needed help during the crisis.
Sarhad works to integrate Kashmiri youths into the mainstream by providing them with education. Having worked for several decades in terror-affected areas of Kashmir, the NGO has developed a strong network in the state. On the day of Pahalgam terror attack, this network was mobilised to assist tourists from the state.
Speaking to TOI, Sanjay Nahar, the founder of Sarhad, said, "Within a few hours of Pahalgam attack, my phone started ringing constantly as several tourists from the state who were in Kashmir started calling me for help. Incidentally, a group of our volunteers were already in Kashmir, and we started facilitating communication between tourists and the administration."
Nahar also added that NGO's volunteers contacted local transporters who managed to bring tourists to Srinagar. "There were a couple of groups consisting of around 100 tourists who wanted to travel to Srinagar from Sonmarg, but they were not getting any transportation. Since our NGO regularly avails services of local transporters, our volunteers immediately got in touch with them, and they responded positively, bringing all the tourists to Srinagar."
Even after reaching Srinagar, some tourists found it difficult to make arrangements for accommodation and food, with most places shut following the terror attack. Adil Malik, one of the volunteers of Sarhad, said, "We got in touch with around 50 tourists from Solapur who were unable to find accommodation. We managed to convince some hoteliers in Srinagar and helped in securing accommodation as well as food."
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