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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Omar admits Kashmir tourism slump post Pahalgam terror attack
Aligarh: Tourism in Kashmir Valley has seen a sharp decline due to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam in which 25 tourists and a local were killed, Jammu & Kashmir chief minister said on Wednesday during a personal visit to Aligarh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Abdullah, who drove himself to Aftab Manzil in Shamshad Market to meet the family of his late friend Sajid Khan, said, "No one can deny that tourism has suffered, but we are trying our best to restore normalcy. " On ongoing development in the region, Abdullah said, "Whatever development has taken place is less, because the kind of war we are fighting there, the way our neighbouring country is trying everything to worsen the situation, more efforts will be made that maximum development will take place in Jammu and Kashmir." He added, "It is good, it is world's highest bridge we have in Kashmir," referring to the Chenab Rail Bridge, one of the infrastructure projects being used by the govt to help revive the region's economy and boost connectivity. The Centre and J&K administration are also focusing on infrastructure development and security arrangements for the upcoming to help rebuild confidence in the region's tourism potential. "This is my first visit to Aligarh. I came here to pay tribute to my late friend Sajid Khan and meet his family. Although I've received invitations from AMU several times in the past, this is the first time I've been able to come. Sadly, I don't have any personal ties with the university," Abdullah said. He kept the visit low-profile and spent time with Sajid Khan's family, offering condolences and joining them in reciting the Fatiha at the grave. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He also visited the Blind School at Aligarh Muslim University, where he interacted with teachers and students and enquired about their education and well-being. In the aftermath of the attack, the tourism sector in Kashmir ground to a halt. Hotels and guest houses reported mass cancellations. One Pahalgam hotel alone refunded over Rs 1.3 lakh in bookings. Daily arrivals at Srinagar airport dropped sharply, with flights reduced from 92 to about 50. Airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India urged the Centre to waive airport user charges to help revive demand. Occupancy rates fell near zero, prompting hoteliers to seek relief on loan interest and electricity bills. Authorities and industry groups have appealed for wider financial support, including subsidies for the hospitality sector. Meanwhile, tourism experts launched safety inspections across key sites to rebuild visitor confidence.
India Today
13-05-2025
- India Today
Chandigarh acid attack survivor among CBSE class 12 exam toppers, scores 95.6%
In an inspiring tale of resilience and determination, 17-year-old Kafi, a student at the Blind School in Sector 26, Chandigarh, has topped her school in the Class 12 board exams with an impressive score of 95.6 per cent. An acid attack survivor, Kafi aspires to pursue a Political Science Honours degree from Delhi University and dreams of becoming an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was subjected to an acid attack when she was just three years old by three neighbours living in the village of Budhana in Haryana's Hisar district out of jealousy. The attack left Kafi with severe burns on her face and arms, and she lost her eyesight. Despite this, Kafi did not give up and kept fighting to achieve her using audiobooks as her primary tool of study, Kafi diligently pursued her education and had earlier scored 95.2% in her Class 10 exams. Kafi was attacked with acid during the festival of Holi in 2011 in her native village of Budhana. In an exclusive conversation, Kafi told India Today that three of her neighbours threw acid on her. Despite initial treatment at AIIMS Delhi, doctors informed the family that her vision could not be restored. "The doctors saved my life, but not my eyesight," she journey in education began in her village, where it took a decisive turn when she was admitted to the Blind School in Chandigarh in the sixth grade. Since then, Kafi has remained focused on her academic goals, consistently topping her father, a peon working on a contractual basis at the Mini Secretariat in Chandigarh, expressed immense pride in her achievements. Kafi has already appeared for the Delhi University entrance exam and is hopeful of securing despite the severity of the crime, the perpetrators of the acid attack are yet to be brought to justice. "Those who did this to me are still roaming free," Kafi Sumant and Gursharan Singh, also students of the Blind School, secured the second and third positions with 94 per cent and 93.6 per cent marks, respectively. IN THIS STORY#Chandigarh#Punjab
