Fuel crisis squeezes U’khand’s tourism sector

Dehradun: Rising fuel prices and supply shortages are beginning to reshape travel patterns across Uttarakhand, with ripple effects felt from the Kumaon hills to the Garhwal shrines. Panic over LPG availability and soaring petrol and diesel costs have triggered cancellations, shorter trips and declining bookings, disrupting tourism.In Nainital, taxi union president Krishan Kumar Azad said there has been a significant increase in the number of visitors arriving by train, while a similar change was observed in the travel behaviour of pilgrims visiting Kainchi Dham. "Earlier, tourists would extend their trips to destinations such as Mukteshwar, Nainital and Kausani. However, many now prefer to return immediately after visiting Kainchi Dham," he said.He attributed the change to higher fuel costs, which have led to a decline in the number of tourists travelling by private vehicles. He noted that while local taxi fares remain unchanged over the past three years, long-distance trips have seen a modest hike of Rs 200–Rs 300.Azad also said that fare revisions are not decided independently by drivers. "We do not increase prices unless directed by the authorities. All fare structures are finalised during meetings with the regional transport office and we strictly adhere to those guidelines," he said.In Dehradun, tour operators reported slowing bookings for the Char Dham yatra and summer season. "There is fear among business owners, similar to the lockdown six years ago. While bookings have not yet been cancelled, they have slowed down and if the crisis and panic continues, we will see its impact in the coming days," said NP Singh of Sanjeevani Travels.Anxiety is already evident along the Char Dham route, set to open April 19. Hotel and trekking businesses — which rely heavily on the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines — are currently grappling with dwindling bookings and a shortage of resources.President of hotel association in Uttarkashi, Shailendra Matuda, said advance bookings in Uttarkashi dropped to just 20–25% of capacity by March, compared to robust numbers in Dec and Jan. He added that disruptions in the supply of gas cylinders are creating operational difficulties for hotels, while rising fuel prices threaten to further escalate operating costs in the near future.Trekking groups with reservations for Gangotri National Park also warned of cancellations if supplies remain disrupted. Manoj Rawat, secretary of trekking association, said, "If the shortage of gas and other essential resources persists, these trekking groups may opt to cancel their reservations."In Kumaon, hoteliers in Bageshwar, Almora, Ranikhet, Kausani and Munsiyari, which usually witnessed a heavy tourist inflow from March to June, reported sharp declines in bookings. Many said they were unable to confirm reservations due to the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, which left restaurants struggling to assure food arrangements. Local hotel operators said online bookings for April and May usually began from early March, but this year the response was weak."Tourism is our only source of income. Every day we receive calls for refunds. We don't know how we will pay staff salaries and run our families if this situation continues," said Puran Dosadh, a hotel owner from Bageshwar.District tourism officials said the administration was monitoring the situation and was in touch with higher authorities. However, local residents said long queues for LPG cylinders continued in several areas, with people spending hours waiting to get their refill. Army personnel Shankar Thapa, who is home on leave, said he spent six hours waiting for a cylinder in Bageshwar, with many returning empty-handed.Responding to the situation, chief secretary Anand Bardhan during a high-level review meeting on Saturday clarified that there is an adequate supply of gas and other essential commodities within the state and appealed to the public to refrain from engaging in unnecessary panic.He directed the tourism and supply departments to assess the anticipated surge in gas demand during the Char Dham yatra and formulate a comprehensive plan accordingly. Instructions were issued to initiate strict enforcement actions to prevent black marketing of gas, crude oil and fertilisers. He also directed authorities to organise daily press briefings at both the state and district levels to counter misinformation. (With inputs from Sonali Mishra in Nainital, Ashish Mishra in Uttarkashi, Yogesh Nagarkoti in Bageshwar and Tanmayee Tyagi in Dehradun)