Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat on Sunday, 7 June said that tourist footfall in Uttarakhand this year has fallen below expected levels, severely impacting the state's hotel and hospitality sector. Rawat called on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to announce a relief package — including tax exemptions — to help the industry absorb its losses.

Rawat's Concerns on Tourism Shortfall

Harish Rawat said the current period should have been peak tourist season for the hill state, but arrivals have not matched projections. 'This is the period when tourism should have been at its peak, but tourist arrivals are not at the expected level. As a result, the hotel industry is being adversely affected,' he said.

The former Chief Minister specifically called for 'some kind of small relief package, such as tax exemptions,' arguing that the hospitality sector is bearing a disproportionate burden of the tourism slump.

Char Dham Yatra Policy Under Fire

Rawat also levelled sharp criticism at the BJP state government's handling of the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, alleging a lack of coherent policy. 'At times, it talks about carrying capacity; at other times, it keeps inviting more pilgrims. Sometimes it speaks of online bookings, and at other times, of offline bookings. There is no clear policy,' he said.

However, Uttarakhand Minister Bharat Singh Chaudhary had previously countered that pilgrim numbers this year have in fact exceeded expectations, and that the increased footfall has generated greater employment for local residents. The two positions reflect a broader political dispute over how to read the state's tourism data this season.

Infrastructure and Weather Preparedness Questioned

The Congress also alleged that the state administration has failed to make adequate preparations for adverse weather conditions. Citing Dehradun as an example, Rawat said that even light rainfall triggers flooding of houses and shops across several cities in the state, with no remedial measures in place.

Rawat on Delhi Fire Incident

Commenting on the fire tragedy in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, Rawat described the incident as 'very painful' and said it should serve as a lesson for all states. He criticised Delhi Police for reportedly arresting the chef at the bed-and-breakfast facility rather than its manager and other responsible authorities. 'They are trying to shift the blame onto the chef. Who is responsible for violating the guidelines and constructing 28 rooms, more than thrice what was allowed? And who is responsible for not adhering to the fire safety norms?' he said.

With peak summer travel season already under way, the state government's response to both the tourism shortfall and infrastructure concerns will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.