Srinagar, March 4 -- Firdous Hassan

A dramatic decline in Umrah pilgrimage bookings from Kashmir has been observed this Ramadan, with figures plummeting by nearly 95 percent this year.

The staggering drop is attributed to a sharp increase in the cost of Umrah packages, leaving many Kashmiri pilgrims unable to afford the journey.

Umrah service providers in the valley cited a surge of over 30 percent in package prices during Ramadan as the primary reason for the drastic reduction in bookings.

Sheikh Feroz, President of the Jammu Kashmir Association of Hajj and Umrah Companies (JKAHUC), revealed that a month-long Umrah package, which typically costs around 120,000 rupees per person, now exceeds 170,000 rupees during the holy month.

"The...