AMRITSAR: In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists and rising diplomatic tensions with Pakistan, footfall at the Attari-Wagah border retreat ceremony has dropped by 50%.
Tourist numbers at the Golden Temple have also declined by over 20%.
Sources said the spectator gallery at the Attari border has a capacity of 25,000. On weekdays, the average footfall is around 20,000, while weekends usually see a full house. However, on Thursday and Friday, only about 10,000 visitors turned up to watch the BSF parade — marking a 50% drop, confirmed by BSF officials familiar with the matter.
A senior Border Security Force (BSF) officer said that following the recent tragic attack in Pahalgam, a calibrated decision was taken to scale down the ceremonial display at the Attari border during the Beating Retreat ceremony.
“The key changes include suspension of the symbolic handshake between the Indian Guard Commander and his counterpart, and the gates will remain closed during the ceremony,” the officer said. Tourists at Attari shouted slogans like “Hindustan Zindabad,” “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” and “Vande Mataram,” waving national flags and with the tricolour painted on their faces.
A visitor said he found the ceremony to be full of patriotic spirit and that it was his first time witnessing it. “We have come here to support our soldiers who are securing our borders by risking their lives,” said another tourist.
Meanwhile, the daily footfall at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which usually sees around 1.25 lakh devotees, has dropped to an estimated 75,000 to 80,000 per day over the past two days.
“There has been a decline of at least 30 per cent in room occupancy at the inns (sarais) of the Golden Temple, and bookings for the weekend are also very thin,” said an official of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
A leading hotelier in Amritsar added that more than 50 per cent of hotel bookings were cancelled following the terror attack in Pahalgam, with many tourists now seeking refunds. “After the Pahalgam incident, tourists have diverted to Himachal Pradesh,” he said.