SHAH KHALID
Srinagar, Mar 16: As now the fair is looming all over the country over the present Pentium of COVID-19, after which the state administrations all over the country had ordered for the Closure of Educational Institutes.
The Kashmiri bound students who are traveling back from different parts of states of the country, because of the prevailing circumstances due to spread of COVID-19 are now being looted by transporters by charging a hefty amount for their transportation, from Srinagar to Jammu, Delhi to Jammu, and Chandigarh to Jammu, by misleading them because of present circumstances.
According to sources the transport department has initially set up the schedule of nominal transport fare, but the Jammu, Dehli and Chandigarh based cab drivers have violated the norms by charging a hefty amount for transportation, by which the hundreds of Kashmiri bound students had been left on their fate, by which they are in a state of distress and dilemma.
Sources revealed to Kashmir Despatch that at around 48000 students belong from the valley are studying in various parts of the country, of which only a few hundred students had returned, but the rest of the students don’t see any ray of hope from State administration for their return to the valley.
A group of aggrieved Students told this correspondent over the phone from Chandigarh that “No transport vehicles are ready to move towards Jammu or beyond on nominal rates fixed by the Department. However, the Students further said that no official from College or state administration has still come forward for our rescue”.
A girl student who is pursuing MTech at Dehli told this Kashmir Despatch that “we are strained from last night here at Dehli Bus stand, but no Jammu bound cab is ready to ferry us, as most of the students are girls” She said that we have fair of boarding the train to Jammu.
Pertinent to mention here, the central administration had taken various steps on war footing bases to return the NRI bound citizens from various countries, but the irony is that the Kashmiri based students have been put under the open sky.
A group of students who have somehow managed to reach Jammu told Kashmir Despatch that ” we have to paid rupees 3000 per student for booking a cab, but now we are going through mental agony as we have no sufficient amount with us to book another cab to Srinagar as they too are looting us”
Jammu and Kashmir Students Association President Nasir Khuehami told Kashmir Despatch that ” the situation which our students are facing right now in different parts of states have shown how the authorities are showing gross negligence towards the students of the valley” he said that ” yesterday I had called to Deputy Commissioner Jammu regarding exorbitant transport charges, and they assured me for taking cognizance, but still nothing has been seen on the ground, as still hundreds of students are stuck in various bus stands across the country”.
Meanwhile, the transporters are charging extra sumo fair and are taking rupees 2000 in place of 1000. Even tempo buses have fixed a rate of 1200 instead of 150-200, Whereas, the normal fare is 500-600. Similarly, Bus fare has been doubled more on Delhi- Jammu, Chandigarh-Jammu bound buses while concerned authorities are acting as mute spectators.
