Srinagar, May 16, KDC: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for national austerity and fuel conservation, Jammu and Kashmir’s Minister for Transport, YS&S and Food & Supplies, Satish Sharma, performed his official commute today via a traditional horse-drawn tonga on Srinagar’s Gupkar Road.
The move comes amid heightened economic pressures and rising fuel costs linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. In recent days, the Prime Minister has urged both officials and citizens to voluntarily reduce fuel consumption, adopt work-from-home practices, and prioritize public transport to safeguard the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Accompanied by Kunwarani Ritu Singh, Minister Sharma utilized the journey to promote the “Save Petrol” campaign. The visual of a high-ranking official ditching a motorized convoy for a traditional carriage serves as a significant signal of the administration’s intent to downsize government expenditure.
“Jai Hind, Jai Mata Di. Save Petrol! I believe this is the best way to implement austerity measures. Instead of going in a car, one should travel like this; everyone should follow this campaign. And this is good—today I got the chance to sit in this [tonga] in Kashmir. To all the people in Jammu and Kashmir: you are welcome. This is our tourism season,” Sharma, according to Kashmir Dot Com said while taking a ride on Tonga.
“So today, we’ve gone back many years. This is how Kashmir used to be back in the day, with the beautiful horse carriages down these streets. And we are doing everything from our side to conserve and preserve. So we are enjoying the beautiful ride in this stunning paradise on Earth. We’re going to an event now and we’ve decided to leave our cars behind and take measures to save petrol, gas—everything. We are going the economical way and saving the environment as well,” Kunwarani Ritu Singh said.
The J&K administration has already begun implementing measures to curb fuel use, with the Lieutenant Governor recently reducing his official security convoy by half. Minister Sharma’s use of the tonga also highlighted a cultural dimension, aiming to boost traditional tourism during the valley’s peak summer season. (KDC)
