In Jammu and Kashmir, a total of about 12 tourist destinations that had been shut down after the Pahalgam terror attack, reopened on Monday after thorough security check-up. The incident, which happened almost six months ago, on April 22 in the Baisaran region of Pahalgam, resulted in the loss of 26 lives, mostly tourists, and led to the temporary closure of almost 50 tourist spots in the entire union territory by the J&K administration.
On Friday, a Unified Headquarters (UHQ) meeting headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, gave clearance to seven tourist destinations in Kashmir and five in Jammu to be reopened. LG Sinha wrote on X: “Following a comprehensive security check and discourse in the UHQ meeting today, I have directed to reopen more tourist destinations in the Kashmir and Jammu divisions which had been temporarily shut down as a precautionary measure.”
Reopened locations within the Kashmir division are Aru Valley, Rafting Point Yanner, Akkad Park, Padshahi Park and Kaman Post. Five tourist spots in Jammu, Dagan Top, Ramban, Dhaggar in Kathua, Shiv Cave in Salal and Reasi, have been cleared to accept visitors starting Monday.
This is after the phased reopening plan announced previously, with on June 17, 16 tourist destinations, consisting of eight in Kashmir and eight in Jammu were reopened. Openings at the time included popular parks around Pahalgam market, Verinag and Kokernag and Achabal Gardens in Anantnag, and Badamwari Park, Duck Park beside the Nigeen and Taqdeer Park beside Hazratbal at Srinagar. In Jammu, spots that were closed were reopened such as Sarthal and Dhaggar in Kathua, Devipindi, Siyad Baba and Sula Park in Reasi, Guldanda and Jai Valley in Doda and Pancheri in Udhampur.
The authorities observed that the reopening of these tourism spots is vital in boosting tourism, which has recorded an undeterred increase in Kashmir over the last three years.
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