Eight-member tourist group says no arrangements made by Govt for visitors, internet is must, anyone travelling to Kashmir must get proper info before starting their journey Emotional
Owais Gul
Srinagar: Emotional scenes were witnessed in and outside Media Facilitation Centre (MFC) on Wednesday when a group of tourists from Malaysia managed to contact their family after five days stay in Kashmir.
According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the internet services on all the platforms have been suspended in Kashmir since August 5, when the central government abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (Article 370) and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories.
However, a few places including some government offices in Kashmir are availing the facilities while a Media Facilitation Centre too has been established for media men here at Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
As per KNO, on Wednesday afternoon, three members of eight-member group of tourists from Malaysia entered into Media centre to get internet access to contact with their family, back at home.
It was for the first time that the tourists witnessed such a gag in their entire life. After getting internet access, the three lady tourists here got emotional after contacting with their family.
The tourists were in dire need to contact their families as their flight got cancelled due to the inclement weather conditions today in Kashmir. “We have been informed that our flight has got cancelled today. Our next flight would be likely on January 19,” said Ida, a female tourist from Malaysia.
Soon after talking with their family members back at home, the family members came out of the Media Facilitation Centre where five more Malaysian tourists were waiting for them in a cab, booked by them in Srinagar.
Rao, one among the tourists told KNO that they were not going to stay here for a long, but the cancellation of flight has compelled them to extend their stay here.
“The most difficult thing we faced here is internet gag. We were not able to communicate to our family and others. Internet is very important and without this facility, we were not able to confirm our flight timing, we couldn’t contact cab operators and others,” Rao, visibly disappointed said amid snowfall in Kashmir.
The snowfall in Kashmir is being enjoyed by the tourists, however, for the Malaysia group, it was not that kind of excited as they were quite worried about their families and wanted to get in touch with them completely. This was for the first time that these Malaysians were witnessed an internet gag, for which Rao stated that people here (in Kashmir) are living in old age.
“There has been no arrangements made by the government for the tourists here, but it was the airline authorities who helped us to get all the information about our flight and next date of flight,” he claimed.
Rao further stated that those scheduled to visit Kashmir should contact here about all the facilities and get proper information before visiting here as internet is must for anyone during the present era and lacking such facilities would surely land them in hardships.
