Ladakh tourism hit by Leh curfew after violence; bookings cancelled, travellers restricted

The tourism sector of Ladakh -- still reeling from setbacks earlier this season -- has been dealt another blow with the curfew in its capital, Leh, after last week's violence, which saw four deaths and more than 150 people injured.

According to stakeholders, the industry was initially hit by widespread cancellations after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were gunned down, and the fresh disturbances have further dented travellers’ confidence.

Indefinite curfew clamped on Sep 24

An indefinite curfew was imposed in Leh on September 24 following clashes during a shutdown called by a constituent of Leh Apex Body, which has been spearheading an agitation for statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to Ladakh.

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Barring a four-hour relaxation in two phases on Saturday (September 27) afternoon, the town remained under strict curfew for the sixth consecutive day on Monday (September 29) with mobile internet services suspended. This has triggered the cancellation of bookings and caused inconvenience for tourists and local stakeholders.

Traders, tourists impacted

“The cancellation of advance bookings by our guests has been continuing on an almost daily basis for the last one week. There is shortage of merchandise due to the closure of the town since last Wednesday," Naseeb Singh, a hotel manager, was quoted as saying by PTI.

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Singh, who has worked in Leh town for nearly a decade, said he is witnessing such a situation for the first time in the otherwise peaceful region. According to him, they are facing a lot of hardships, along with the tourists stranded in Leh.

Rigzin Dorjey, a local transporter, said the Pahalgam terror attack had severely impacted Ladakh tourism even though the two are separate Union Territories.

“The Pahalgam incident virtually paralysed the tourism sector in Ladakh. We started receiving guests only a month after Operation Sindoor. But Wednesday's incident has once again hit us hard,” he said.

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Echoing Dorjey, a local hotelier, who wished not to be named, said they are praying for early restoration of normalcy as "each day of uncertainty means lost income for thousands of families who depend on tourism."

Tourists stranded in the region said they were confined to their hotels and were unable to access key attractions.

“Upon my arrival here, to my shock, I found that everything was closed. I was not even able to exchange my currency and buy food. I was planning some sightseeing in Pangong Lake but I failed to get the permit," said Sheena, a tourist from Taiwan.

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She said she hoped the situation would improve quickly so that everybody could get back to work.

The tourist said policemen deployed on deserted roads tell people that the restrictions may not be relaxed on Monday.

Arpana Dass, who had reached Leh from Delhi on Sunday (September 28), said she was disappointed on seeing the markets closed and mobile internet services down.

“We could not go anywhere due to restrictions, and hopefully, everything will be fine soon,” she said.

Shruti, another tourist, said she wanted to explore the local tradition, do some shopping and visit some famous places, but the prevailing situation is making it very difficult.

"We came to see Ladakh's mountains and monasteries, but now we are just stuck in our rooms. Everyone here is simply wishing that peace returns soon," she said.

A police official defended the curfew, saying that it was necessary to prevent further disturbances, but hoped that it would be lifted soon.

(With Agency inputs)