Ludhiana: Taxi operators see drop in business

Taxi operators across Ludhiana are grappling with a severe slump in business, reporting over 70% drop in bookings as panic gripped residents following the recent border escalation on Thursday night. According to operators, prominent destinations including Amritsar, Srinagar, Leh-Ladakh, Manali and Kasauli have seen mass cancellations as families shelved their summer travel plans.

The downturn, operators say, began after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam. Since then, a steady wave of cancellations has followed by travellers, particularly those who had made advance bookings two to three months prior for trips to Srinagar and nearby hill destinations. The fallout, compounded by fresh border tensions on Thursday night, has left the local taxi industry reeling under a sudden and sharp drop in demand.

Azad Taxi Union Punjab president Sharanjit Singh Kalsi explained, “April to July is traditionally our peak season when families plan their religious and leisure trips to popular hill stations and spiritual sites. But ever since the Pahalgam attack, we’ve seen a significant reversal in this trend. In just two weeks, we’ve experienced around 12,000 cancellations, with most being for destinations like Srinagar, Leh, Manali and Shimla.”

He further asserted that they used to receive maximum bookings for Srinagar, Leh and Ladakh as certain routes leading to these places only accessible during the summer months, when the extreme cold and heavy snowfall of winter finally give way to clear, passable roads. Many travelers prefer visiting Leh-Ladakh during the sweltering summer months, as this is the only window when both the Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh highways are open for travel. With the situation along the border growing increasingly tense, people are now opting to stay home rather than risk traveling to these remote, high-altitude areas.”

Additionally, Kalsi pointed out that we were already reeling under losses after the Pahalgam attack but were anticipating a quick relief in coming days. However, on Friday morning, after Thursday night’s developments near the border, we had zero active bookings. Everything got cancelled overnight.”

Adding to the concerns, Harman Bhullar, a local operator who usually drives tourists to Manali and Dharamshala, stated,” Tourism-linked transport services in Ludhiana heavily depend on summer traffic to the hills and spiritual circuits. However, the current mood is one of caution and fear. People are hesitant. With such uncertainty surrounding travel to these areas, no one is willing to take the risk right now.”