SDRF urges shikara operators ‘to stay off’ Dal Lake amid bad weather, Tourism Dept issues safety guidelines

Srinagar: The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Quick Response Team (QRT) stationed at Nehru Park on Saturday advised shikara operators to halt operations in Dal Lake due to bad weather conditions.
SDRF officials patrolled the lake in boats and made announcements on loudspeakers, urging operators not to take shikaras towards the shore.
“All shikara operations are requested not to ply towards the shore as the weather is wild and an advisory has already been issued,” they announced.
They directed the Shikara Union President to ensure that no shikara plies in the lake throughout the day, stressing that safety should not be compromised in such conditions.
The advisory comes a day after the Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, issued a fresh set of mandatory safety guidelines for all shikara operators in Dal Lake to prevent mishaps and ensure safe operations.
As per the guidelines, life jackets have been made mandatory for all passengers, including children. Each shikara must carry jackets matching or exceeding the number of passengers on board.
Notably, these measures come in the wake of a recent incident where a tourist family’s shikara capsized in the interiors of Dal Lake, raising concerns over boating safety in the region