A welcome move
Tourism seems to be picking up in Kashmir Valley after a lull of almost eight weeks after the deadly terror attack in scenic Pahalgam left 26 people dead in April this year.
The administration which has been working overtime to ensure that tourists retrun to the valley on Tuesday announced opening of several parks across the UT, including some in Pahalgam, that were closed in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack.
Though the reopening of these parks and tourist places is significant, even more momentous are the efforts the administration is putting up to woo the tourists back.
Notably, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had ordered the reopening of 16 parks — eight each in Jammu region and Kashmir Valley. In the first phase, eight parks were reopened in the Kashmir valley. Betaab Valley in Pahalgam and the parks near Pahalgam market, Verinag, Kokernag and Achabal gardens in Anantnag district, Badamwari Park, Duck Park near Nigeen, and Taqdeer Park near Hazratbal in Srinagar were reopened on Tuesday.
Similarly, eight destinations were reopened in Jammu region as well including Sarthal and Dhaggar in Kathua, Devipindi, Siyad Baba and Sula Park in Reasi, Guldanda and Jai Valley in Doda, and Pancheri in Udhampur.
Interestingly, the past week or so has seen a very healthy development vis-à-vis tourist arrivals. Tourists mostly domestic hailing from various regions of the country have been making their presence felt with some destinations like Gulmarg and locals Mughal gardens, besides the Dal lake witnessing some footfall.
The arrival of tourists signifies a positive change in the mind-set of the visitors who have once again shown their faith and trust in the people here and have started to visit the place once again.
What made the visitors to visit the valley was the vehement opposition offered and expressed by the locals across Jammu and Kashmir to the terror act in Pahalgam that was simply meant to derail the peace process here and give a negative feel about the place.
The locals across the UT in one voice decried the dastardly act and assured the visitors that Kashmir and its people have always believed in brotherhood, peace and religious tolerance.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is also putting in his efforts to assure the visitors that Kashmir is as safe as it can be. Even on Tuesday the Chief Minister held several meeting with tour operators and interacted with a delegation of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) and discussed steps to boost tourism in the Union Territory.
The tour operators too appealed to its members to promote Jammu and Kashmir as a premier travel destination.
Importantly, security too has been beefed up at most of the tourist places and it seems a matter of time that a vibrant tourist footfall will again be recorded in Kashmir Valley. Hopefully, the Amarnath yatra which starts on July 3rd will also help revive the ailing Industry and get things back on track.
