KTA raises alarm as Highway shutdown sparks shortages, sky-high airfares

Srinagar, Sep 8: The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) has raised alarm over the week-long closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, warning that the blockade has paralysed trade, triggered shortages of essentials, and sent airfares soaring to exploitative levels.

In a statement, KTA President Aijaz Shahdhar said the seven-day shutdown of the Valley’s only all-weather road link has taken a critical turn, with severe shortages of mutton, vegetables, poultry, and other daily essentials. “The crisis has forced even families to postpone weddings, while spiralling prices are making survival difficult for ordinary citizens,” he said.

Fruit growers are among the hardest hit, with thousands of tonnes of fresh produce stranded in the Valley. Shahdhar warned that if the produce fails to reach markets outside in time, it could rot, dealing a crippling blow to Kashmir’s horticulture sector—the backbone of its economy.

Equally concerning, KTA condemned airlines for “profiteering in a crisis,” noting that one-way fares from Srinagar to Delhi have shot up to between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000. “This is sheer exploitation of the people of Kashmir,” Shahdhar said, urging the government to immediately cap airfares.

KTA called upon the administration to clear the Srinagar–Jammu Highway without delay, keep the Mughal Road fully functional as an alternative route, and adopt a long-term strategy to prevent Kashmir from being cut off during critical months.

“The continuous blockade of the Valley’s lifeline has exposed the fragility of our economy and the vulnerability of our people,” Shahdhar warned, appealing to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to treat the crisis as an economic and humanitarian emergency.