Shutdown Cripples Transport Industry In Kashmir

The transport industry in Kashmir is going through the worst crisis as thousands of commercial buses, cabs, trucks, and autorickshaws remain grounded since August 5 due to restrictions and spontaneous shutdown in the Valley. Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a cab driver from central Ganderbal district said that he had purchased a Tavera vehicle in June after investing his lifelong savings and amount financed by Jammu and Kashmir Bank. “To my bad luck, the vehicle remains grounded for the last two months. Not only I am unable to pay the installments to the Bank, but I have nothing left to feed my family now,” he told DH. Dar, who was earlier working as a cab driver, made the decision to purchase his own vehicle with the hope that the situation in Kashmir had improved. “Since last year, strike calls by separatists had almost vanished and tourist flow to Kashmir was increasing. My wife’s jewelry and other savings went into the purchase of a new cab. Where will we go now? It seems we are caught in a dark tunnel,” he rued.