SRINAGAR, India, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Uber

launched a water transport hailing service on scenic Dal Lake in

India's Kashmir region on Monday, offering rides on boats

popular with tourists.

Users of the service can book trips on the lake's

traditional wooden Shikara boats if they make reservations at

least 12 hours and up to 15 days in advance, Uber officials

said.

The ride-hailing app already offers water transport services

in London and some other cities but this is its first in India.

Around 4,000 Shikaras, often ornately decorated and

canopied, operate on Dal Lake and are popular among locals as

well as tourists.

Uber will match customers with Shikara operators but will

not charge a fee on rides booked through its app. All of the

boat ticket paid by passengers would go to the Shikara operator,

it said.

"Uber Shikara is our humble attempt to blend technology and

tradition to give a seamless experience to travellers for their

Shikara ride," said Prabhjeet Singh, president, Uber India and

South Asia.

Shikara operators were divided on Uber's entry to their

sector, with some saying it would boost their business now that

tourists can book rides well in advance, while others insisted

it would make little difference.

"It will boost our business. There will be fixed rates, no

cheating, and no scope for bargaining," said Wali Mohammad

Bhatt, president of the Shikara Owners Association.

Shikara operator Shabir Ahmed was sceptical, saying

operators would not be impacted.

"We have our own customer base," he said.

Kashmir is claimed in full but ruled in part by India and

Pakistan. The part under India's control - the country's only

Muslim-majority region - has been roiled by violence for decades

as militants have fought security forces. However, violence has

fallen in recent years and the Kashmir Valley - called the

Switzerland of India - has seen a gradual rise in the number of

tourists.