Following drone strikes on Pathankot, Dalhousie implements emergency measures

DALHOUSIE: Following Thursday night’s drone and missile attacks on the Pathankot airbase in Punjab, the Chamba district administration in Himachal Pradesh took immediate steps to ensure the safety of residents and tourists in Dalhousie—a popular hill station that hosts both an Air Force station and an Army cantonment.

The attacks, attributed to Pakistan, raised concerns due to Dalhousie’s proximity to Pathankot. Its elevated terrain could make it visible during a blackout in the border region, said Dalhousie Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Anil Kumar Bharadwaj. He convened an emergency meeting on Friday with officials from the Army, Air Force, and police to coordinate precautionary measures.

He stated that a blackout in Pathankot increases the risk of Dalhousie being spotted and that stray drones could potentially veer towards the town. Given that Dalhousie houses both military establishments and attracts tourists, a precautionary plan has been put in place. This includes enforcing blackouts when directed by Air Force officials, who will assess the threat level and inform the civil administration accordingly.

Prabhu Kumar, a tour operator based in Amritsar, reported a substantial drop in bookings for Dalhousie. “The Pathankot attacks have scared tourists away. Many cancelled their trips from Amritsar, and hotel bookings in Dalhousie have dropped significantly,” he said, adding that most bookings were for popular tourist spots such as Khajjiar and Kala Top.

The administration has also instructed hoteliers in Dalhousie to promptly convey all official directives to visiting tourists, including potential blackout orders, to ensure safety amid the ongoing tensions. “We’ve asked hoteliers to immediately communicate any instructions—such as blackouts—to tourists in order to comply with security protocols,” Bharadwaj said.