One of the major factors responsible for a depressive atmosphere in Kashmir has been the total isolation of Kashmiris from the outside world. Till 1947, Kashmiris were free to go anywhere from all the exit and entry points. These included the traditional Jhelum Valley Road, the Bannihal Cart Road, and the branches of the Silk Route through Kargil-Leh-Karakoram Pass or through Gurez-Gilgit Transport Road. The partition and the subsequent Indo-Pak conflict resulting in the division of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir closed all routes except the Bannihal Cart Road. Consequent upon the closure of all alternate routes, the Bannihal Road had to be developed on priority. In early sixties the Germans completed the Jawahar Tunnel allowing the road to be kept open round the year. Till that time the road used to get closed during winter due to heavy snowfall on the upper tunnel which was above 9,000 feet altitude. This road has remained the only access to the valley since that time. Because of the unusually heavy movement of security forces, civilian supplies, and passenger traffic coupled with unstable geological strata the road gets quite often closed in winter. Sometimes it has remained closed not only for days but even for few weeks. This single entry/exit to the valley has made local people claustrophobic and they feel like being trapped in a prison. This is especially so in winter when even sometimes the flights also get cancelled due to bad weather. However, the operation of flights by over half a dozen airlines has to a great extent removed the feeling of isolation. One has always the satisfaction that there is some way out of the valley even though there may be temporary delay. This feeling of isolation could be further alleviated to a great extent if the Civil Aviation authorities equip the airport with latest instrument landing devices and allow use of the runway during night hours. Well, unfortunately the security considerations as usual come in the way! The fighter jets can roam freely and take off and land whenever they like but the civilian aircraft have very restricted movement. No night flying at all!

To end the isolation of Kashmir a few years back the Government of India in agreement with the Pakistan Government had allowed controlled movement of people across the Line of Control. At that time this gesture had been acclaimed as the breach in the Sub-Continent’s Berlin Wall. People all over the World had expected that there would soon be a flood across the line and the border will become irrelevant thereby solving the intractable issue of Kashmir for ever. Nothing like that happened. The movement remained restricted to some sort of a parole for the “prisoners” of the valley and across. The free movement of the people envisaged by the leaders on two sides still remains a distant dream. Last year compelled by the public pressure caused by the blockade of the only access road of the valley, he two Governments agreed to start cross LOC trade. It was again hailed as a major achievement and in fact the trade in spite of numerous handicaps including lack of communications between two parts of Kashmir started slowly growing. However, the forces inimical to a real détente between the two sides have started throwing spanners in the works and attempts are reportedly being made to scuttle the whole process. The trade seems to have come to a stand still! There is a tradition in Kashmir that we start all new ventures with a lot of fanfare and celebrations and after sometime totally forget about these. The most conspicuous deficiency of our character seems lack of persistence and consistency. We want things to materialise without putting any hard work in and desire results overnight. Extreme impatience is another of our “virtues”! We cannot stand in a queue and always try to jump it. In every sphere of activity we exhibit undue impatience. Prophet (PBUH) had said that “Patience is the key of contentment”. Unfortunately we lack this trait in our character and as such are never contented. We seem to have developed a sheepish mentality. As soon as a sheep goes on some path, the entire herd follows it without ascertaining whether the path is right! We also often demonstrate the fizzy nature of our emotions and sentiments. Sometimes all of a sudden the entire mass rises up. People all over think that a revolution has come about but just like the fizz in a soda water bottle the revolution dies out and we are back to perennial status quo! This trait of our character has often been exploited by outsiders. They always start various projects with dazzle and fanfare and then quietly leave these to die a natural death. This is precisely what is going to happen to the international opening which was touted all over the world as a revolutionary change. As it has been said that a single swallow does not make a summer, similarly a lone flight to Dubai does not make Kashmir an International Tourist Destination. In fact, the way this historic opening is being handled may soon force even discontinuance of its operation. Had people in the Government as well as in the private sector been serious about it, a number of FAM tours of travel agents, airline representatives, hoteliers, tour operators and other connected people would have already taken place. There has not even been a FAM tour for the media on two sides. Probably the authorities want to leave the window half open as they fear that fully opening the window may give Kashmiris “wrong” ideas! This is the greatest mistake on their part. Leaving windows only half-open creates more and bigger problems than solving the smaller ones. All such gestures must not only remove the barriers of suspicion but must also appear to do so. The authorities concerned must know that if all the windows whether related to cross LOC travel, and trade, or international travel are thrown fully open, there will be less of tension and disaffection among Kashmiris than there is with half-open or fully closed windows.

Unfortunately, Kashmiris themselves, as usual are luke warm about it. After witnessing the grand opening they seem to have totally forgotten about it. Any other person would be working overtime to cash this excellent opportunity of not only ending Kashmir’s age old isolation but throwing open a vast field for tourism, commerce, and employment. Strangely lot more people were going to Dubai when there was a longer and expensive route through Delhi. Almost every year Kashmir Cuisine Festivals were held there and travel trade was participating in many travel related events. However, after the opening of this direct and inexpensive route the enthusiasm seems to have cooled down for some unknown reasons. There is still time to make this new opening a worthwhile proposition. One should not depend only upon Government initiative in such crucial matters. People on their own should go full throttle ahead. They must establish contacts with their counter parts abroad and start working on various projects of mutual benefit. Efforts should be directed at concerned authorities to widen the scope of operations of the international flights to other destinations in Middle East, Central Asia, and South East Asia. Instead of a point to point travel, the flights should use Srinagar as a transit stop over say for Jammu (Vaishnovdevi), Leh (Ladakh), Agra, and Jaipur. It will be then worthwhile to take a flight to India via Srinagar and vice versa. There are many such combinations possible if one is interested in exploring these. Similarly, the operation should not be restricted to state players only but thrown open to private sector as many other airlines may be interested to cash this opportunity. This goal can be achieved only when the captains of travel industry and the major business entrepreneurs join hands and come forward in a big way to persuade the concerned authorities to see the tremendous possibilities of the opening of these new windows of opportunity. If we leave everything at the mercy of the government which is yet to find its place, then the window will not only remain half-open but may also get eventually shut!