Rice plate @ Rs 100, Dal bowl @ Rs 60

Srinagar, Jan 17: The Srinagar-Jammu highway has become a safe haven for shopkeepers to loot passengers who happen to get stranded as and when the vital route closes in the wake of bad weather. Courtesy: official indifference.
In the past one month, the highway has closed several times, much to the annoyance of the passengers and drivers, who complain of difficulty in having their meals on the route.
“Whenever it snows, the shopkeepers at Banihal, Ramban, Qazigund and Udhampur increase the prices of commodities like Dal, Chawal and Roti,” a driver from Chandigarh, Avtar Singh told Greater Kashmir over phone from Banihal. “I am stranded at Banihal on Kashmir side of the tunnel for the past three days.
I am leaving for Jammu on Tuesday. But for the past three days, the shopkeepers have looted the stranded passengers and drivers by selling a plate of rice at Rs 100 to Rs 120 and a bowl of Dal at Rs 60. This is against the usual price of Rs 40 a plate of rice and Rs 30 a bowl of Dal.”
On Monday, this newspaper received several calls from the stranded passengers, who accused the state government of failing to address the self-imposed inflation on the highway.
“While the state government is overlooking hygienic conditions of the shopkeepers on the highway, it is not doing anything to alleviate the sufferings of stranded passengers. On one hand, the drivers increase the fare as per their wish, and on the other, the shopkeepers loot the poor passengers. Why isn’t it a matter of concern for the state government which is boasting of working for the welfare of people?” asked Ghulam Qadir, a passenger from north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
“I was stranded on highway for the past two days. I had to give Rs 300 as accommodation charge for a shabby room at Banihal. Besides, the shopkeepers were selling a rice plate at Rs 120. This is simply unacceptable and would tax the common man who prefers travel by highway than by air.”
According to drivers, the problem persists in Ramban, Udhampur and Kud areas also. “It is a persistent problem on either side of the tunnel and we are a witness to this for the past so many years. And this is the reason why most of the drivers cook food themselves than have the lunch or dinner at a Dhaba,” Singh said.
He suggested that the state government should establish at least 10 Dhabas at each stopover on the highway where food can be provided at subsidized rates. “It is the responsibility of the police and officials of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution department to keep a watch on the shopkeepers who resort to arbitrary price hike. The government cannot turn a blind eye toward the grave issue,” he said.
According to sources, there are a few ‘monitoring squads’ established to look into such complaints. But, they said, the teams hardly go for market checking.
“The divisional commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir divisions should look into such complaints. They can instruct the CAPD officials and police to crack down on the accused shopkeepers and book them,” said Qadir.
While the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir was not available for comments, a senior official in his office promised action in the matter. “The areas from this side of the tunnel fall under our jurisdiction. So we will look into such complaints to ensure that the public doesn’t suffer,” said Aamir Ali, Officer on Special Duty to Divisional Commissioner’s Office. “We will also take up the matter with our counterparts in Jammu.”

(Source: http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jan/18/rice-plate-rs-100-dal-bowl-rs-60-30.asp)