Watch: “Sting Operation Exposes Overcharging Practices by Shikara Owners in Kashmir’s Nigeen Lake

“Sting Operation Exposes Overcharging Practices by Shikara Owners in Kashmir’s Nigeen Lake”

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By :- Bilal Bhat

09/11/2023 (AR/ JKNN) : “A sting operation has uncovered how shikara owners at Ghat no. 2 in Kashmir’s renowned Nigeen Lake openly overcharge tourists.

Operating without fixed rates, this operation exposed how these individuals brazenly demand excessive fees for ferrying tourists from Ghat no. 2 to houseboats.

In the video, they can be heard quoting prices between 300 to 400 Rs, while the government-mandated rate is only 100 Rs for the short journey to the other side, which takes less than five minutes.

These shikara owners charge anywhere from Rs 400 to Rs 1200, according to both houseboat owners and tourists.

If tourists refuse to pay, they resort to threatening consequences.

When questioned about the government’s rates, they respond with intimidation, suggesting a visit to the police station.

This blatant exploitation by shikara riders, charging exorbitant fares to tourists, has incited anger among tourists and houseboat owners.

As per the government’s rate system, the fare for a shikara ride in Dal Lake/Nigeen Lake has been set at Rs 700 per hour for a three-kilometer journey, with an additional Rs 400 for each extra hour. The rate for ferrying tourists from ghats to houseboats is fixed between 50-100 Rs.

(AR/JKNN)