- By Akansha Pandey
- Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:37 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The ongoing political unrest and power struggle in neighboring Nepal are causing a wave of travel cancellations and postponements from Dehradun. Citing safety concerns, residents who had planned trips to visit Kathmandu and the revered Pashupatinath temple are now either putting their travel plans on hold or cancelling their tickets altogether.
Travel agencies across the city reported a significant number of cancellations on Thursday. Although there are no direct flights or bus services from Dehradun to Kathmandu, the city is a significant source of tourists for Nepal, with most travelers flying from Delhi after booking their tours locally.
Tour operators say that this is typically a busy season for travel to Kathmandu, but the recent instability has spooked potential visitors.
"For the last decade, we have seen a large number of tourists from Dehradun and surrounding areas book trips to Kathmandu, many of whom are pilgrims visiting the Lord Pashupatinath temple," said tour operator Vaibhav Gupta. "We had many bookings for September and October this year, but people are now fearful following reports of tourists being harassed and even held hostage in Nepal. As a result, they are either postponing their trips or cancelling them."
Gupta confirmed that on Thursday alone, his agency processed 12 outright cancellations, while more than two dozen other clients have put their trips on hold indefinitely.
Residents Prioritising Safety
This sentiment is echoed by residents who have altered their plans. Akshay Kumar, a resident of Sevalakalan, was scheduled to leave for Kathmandu with his wife and daughter on September 13 to visit the Pashupatinath temple during the Shradh Paksha period. He cancelled his trip on Thursday.
"Given the current situation in Nepal, it is not advisable to go there at the moment," Kumar said. "It's better to stay here in our own Uttarakhand."
Rohit Singhal, a resident of Rajpur Road, made a similar decision. His family's tour to Kathmandu was booked for September 17, but he has now put the trip on hold. "We will not travel until the situation in Nepal returns to complete normalcy," Singhal stated.