Srinagar, Jan 20 — A high-level delegation of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), along with representatives of leading tourism trade bodies, on Tuesday met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and raised concerns over long-pending regulatory bottlenecks and the slowdown in the tourism sector following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Led by KCCI President Javid Ahmad Tenga, the delegation submitted a detailed memorandum seeking urgent policy and administrative measures to restore confidence, stabilise operations and ensure the long-term sustainability of tourism in Kashmir.
Briefing the Lieutenant Governor, Tenga said the sector had witnessed “mass cancellations, a sharp fall in tourist inflows and severe financial stress” after the Pahalgam attack.
“Hoteliers, transporters, tour operators, guides, houseboat owners and thousands of daily-wage earners are facing acute hardship. The sector is grappling with both demand-side challenges and long-pending regulatory issues,” he said.
Tourism promotion emerged as a key focus of the discussion, with the delegation urging the administration to launch an aggressive pan-India and international campaign to restore traveller confidence ahead of upcoming seasons. They also sought promotion of Kashmir under the Government of India’s Incredible India initiative and priority inclusion of Jammu and Kashmir under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme, terming it a confidence-building measure for domestic tourism.
The delegation raised serious concerns over delays in renewal of registrations of hotels, houseboats and guest houses, saying procedural complexities were disrupting operations across the hospitality sector.
“There is an urgent need for a single-window, time-bound and digitised renewal mechanism, particularly for houseboats, which remain the crown jewel of Kashmir tourism,” Tenga said, seeking provisional renewal of licences where all required documents have already been submitted.
Other issues flagged included delays in extension of lease deeds, problems faced by hotels under LCMA jurisdiction, infrastructure constraints in congested commercial areas such as Lal Chowk, fire safety compliance under Smart City projects, airport-level facilitation, and waiver of municipal and allied fees for the hospitality sector.
The delegation also pressed for a one-time power amnesty scheme for commercial consumers, citing mounting electricity dues accumulated during prolonged downturns in tourism.
“A power amnesty would help stabilise struggling businesses, encourage regularisation of dues and support the broader revival of the tourism economy,” the delegation said.
The KCCI representatives acknowledged that during the Lieutenant Governor’s tenure, Kashmir tourism had earlier witnessed record arrivals and investments running into several thousand crore rupees across hotels and allied infrastructure.
The Lieutenant Governor gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured that the issues raised would be examined sympathetically. He reiterated the administration’s commitment to reviving tourism, improving ease of doing business and facilitating genuine stakeholders through transparent and efficient systems.
The Chamber expressed confidence that Kashmir tourism would overcome the present challenges and assured full cooperation with the administration in the larger interest of the region’s economy and livelihoods.