Pahalgam terror attack: Traumatised tourists rush home, face soaring flight cost

The Sangle family from Thane is among many tourists stranded in Srinagar who have decided to cut short their Kashmir holiday following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam ldquoWersquove already covered holiday destinations from north to south and this time we were excited about visiting Jammu and Kashmirrdquo said Gaurav Sangle a civil engineer ldquoWe planned the trip ourselves and booked flights and hotels back in FebruaryrdquoThe family landed in Srinagar on Sunday and began sightseeing on Monday ldquoOn Tuesday we were on our way to Pahalgam to spend two days there but minutes before reaching we were alerted about the terror strike We saw a heavy presence of police and security forces and the area resembled a fortress Our driver made a few calls and confirmed the attack We had no option but to return to Srinagarrdquo he addedPosttrauma chaosGaurav recounted meeting a couple from West Bengal who had witnessed the attack from a hideout ldquoThey were visibly shaken and desperate to leave for Kolkata and then onward to Germanyrdquo he said ldquoMy family was deeply disturbed too and we decided to cancel the rest of our trip Our Indigo return flight was originally scheduled for Sunday April 27rdquoSoaring costsGaurav is livid over the high costs airlines are charging ldquoI paid Rs 58000 for our Indigo return tickets for April 27 Upon cancelling the airline deducted Rs 20000 and refunded Rs 38000 But a new SpiceJet ticket for April 25 cost us Rs 69000 This is has left me with an unexpected financial lossrdquoGaurav Sangle and his family at Phase 1 of the Gulmarg Gondola PicsGaurav Sangle and familyHe criticised the government for not stepping in ldquoNeither the government nor the Civil Aviation Ministry issued any directive to cap airfare This has turned into our worst vacation experience On top of inflated ticket prices wersquove had to extend our stay in Srinagar spending Rs 8000 for two rooms and our hotel booking in Pahalgam hasnrsquot even responded to our refund requests Drivers here charge R3000 a daymdashitrsquos all unplanned expenserdquoMore flightsHowever the government on Wednesday announced that additional flights will be operated from Srinagar and that airfares on the route are being kept at reasonable levels amid a large number of tourists looking to return from JampK in the aftermath of the Phalagam terror attackNarrow escapeAtul Sonawane 42 from Hiranandani Thane considers himself and his family lucky ldquoWe were just seven minutes away from our hotel in Pahalgam when the attack happened We had bookings at Hotel Hilton Heritage for two nights but were stopped by security and turned backrdquoGaurav Sangle and his family at the Tulip Garden in SrinagarHe added ldquoWe wanted to visit Mini Switzerland one of the scenic spots but had to cancel all plans Our tour operator arranged accommodation at Heritage Luxury Hotel in Srinagar which generously provided free meals to over 150 stranded tourists That gesture meant a lotrdquo Asked if he would continue the trip Atul said ldquoAbsolutely not Wersquore all shaken and want to get back to Thane as soon as possiblerdquoStranded and stuckMany tourists from Thane VasaiVirar and Mumbai are stuck indoors as streets remain cordoned off by security forces Bhushan Gole 39 from Manpada Thane West said ldquoI was in Pahalgam the day before the incident We skipped Mini Switzerland because the pony guide charged Rs 4900 per person Plus the route isnrsquot motorable and involves a 5 km trek through jungle terrain Irsquove spent R168 lakh for a sevenday family tour I urge others to assess the situation before planning trips to JampKrdquoNishank Mhatre 31 a travel agency representative from Virar added ldquoWersquore constantly in touch with the CM and Deputy CMrsquos office giving them regular updates While things are tense the situation is currently under control Wersquore safe and hope to return soonrdquoStars saddenedSachin Tendulkar via XlsquoShocked and deeply saddened by the tragic attacks on innocent people in Pahalgam The affected families must be going through an unimaginable ordeal India and the world stand united with them at this dark hour as we mourn the loss of lives and pray for justicersquoSalman Khan via XlsquoKashmir heaven on planet earth turning into hell Innocent people are being targeted My heart goes out to their families Ek bhi innocent ko maarna puri kainath ko maarne ke barabar hai killing one innocent person is equal to killing the entire worldrsquoShah Rukh Khan via XlsquoWords fail to express the sadness and anger at the treachery and inhumane act of violence that has occurred in Pahalgam In times like these one can only turn to God and say a prayer for the families that have suffered and express my deepest condolences May we as a nation stand united strong and seek justice for this heinous actrsquoAlia Bhatt via XlsquoThe news is heartbreaking Innocent lives lost Tourists families people who were justhellip living Seeking beauty Seeking peace And now therersquos only grief And the unbearable weight of it Every time something like this happens it chips away at our shared humanity May those souls rest in peace And may those left behind find strength somehowmdashthough I donrsquot know how we even begin to ask that of themrsquoAnushka Sharma via InstagramlsquoHeartbroken to hear about the coldblooded terror attack on innocent people in Kashmir Heartfelt prayers and condolences to their families This is a heinous attack that will never be forgottenrsquoVirat Kohli via InstagramlsquoHeartfelt condolences to the families of the victims Praying for peace and strength to families of all those who lost their lives and for justice to be served for the cruel actrsquoatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params