Srinagar, July 1 Airfares to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir has increased almost four times the normal cost, as the number of tourists visiting the valley multiplied in the recent weeks.

During the month of May, the airfare from national capital to Srinagar was reported to be in the range of rupees 2500 to 3500, which has now touched the mark of rupees 14,000 to 15,000.

"We come here every year and used to pay around rupees 3000 for each ticket, which this year has gone up to rupees 15,000 for one way. Fares have really skyrocketed," said Sarvesh Joshi, a tourist in Srinagar.

Travel experts across the country have termed this increase unprecedented.

"It's an open market, open skies, open pricing policies of government of India so it is natural that prices would go up when there is demand. But in my 40 years of service, I have never seen such hike in airfares to Kashmir," said Nazir Bakshi, a travel agent.

The main reason for the sudden rush of tourists has been attributed to the severe heat wave conditions prevailing in the many parts of the country.longside, the ongoing pilgrimage to the revered shrine of Amarnath cave is another reason for such a hike in airline fares from mid-June to early August.

Meanwhile, Nasir Shah, Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance, reckoned that fares would remain the same till end of July when the Amarnath pilgrimage concludes.

"The flow of tourists right now is good and the demand is also high. It's a good sign for us that if the air fares are high that means there is more demand and I hope that this demand would last till end of this month," said Nasir Shah. (ANI)