J-K govt urges Centre to check 'arbitrary' hike in airfares

Expressing concern over steep rise in airfares especially on Jammu and Kashmir sector, the state government today wrote to the Civil Aviation Ministry to check the "arbitrary" hike in airfares.
Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali has written a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and sought his intervention to check the arbitrary hike in airfares.
Ali has again approached the Union Minister and expressed grave concern over the steep hike in air fares on Srinagar-Jammu, Srinagar-Delhi, Srinagar-Mumbai, Jammu-Delhi and vice versa sectors.
The Minister requested the Centre to pass on directions to concerned airlines to keep the airfare reasonable on these sectors.

He brought into the notice of the Union minister that the airfares for these destinations are irrationally exorbitant particularly during the winter season when the road connectivity to the Valley gets restricted due to inclement weather and the only option left with the passengers is to travel by air.
He said the students living out of Kashmir Valley and the patients, who are being referred by doctors outside the state, for treatment are especially hit by the steep rise in airfares.

The "monopolistic trade practices" adopted by various airlines and travel agencies operating in the state is aggravating the situation which subjects the travellers to immense hardships, Ali said in the state.

The President, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed his concern over the authoritarian attitude of the airlines operating on the Srinagar route for affecting steep rise of airfares especially during Winter season and have approached the state government for help.
Ali said the issue of steep rise in airfares was also discussed in a meeting of the J&K State Consumer Protection Council wherein all the members of the Council unanimously expressed their serious concern over the issue by comparing it to clear instance of jeopardising state consumer rights.
These members approached the state government to take up the matter again with the concerned Union Ministry.

The Minister urged the Union Minister to intervene in the matter and advise the concerned officers in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and airlines operating from Srinagar and Jammu to have the airfares regulated at reasonable level.