J&K govt shuts 48 tourist sites in Valley

Decision taken over security concerns in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack

- Ashiq Hussain

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has closed or restricted access to at least 48 of the 87 tourist sites and trekking trails in the Valley, officials aware of the developments said. They said this has been done as a precautionary security measure over heightened concerns in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Although the authorities have not issued a formal order to this effect, the entries to these places have been blocked.

They said that these spots mostly include offbeat and remote destinations, along with eight hotels and some sites en route to Gulmarg.

The attack at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam had claimed 26 lives, 25 tourists and a local.

Officials confirmed that these sites include meadows, trekking routes, hilly areas, parks and gardens. They said the decision to temporarily shut these sites has been taken to avoid any threat to the visitors.

The officials said about 10 of these sites are prominent tourist destinations with good tourist footfall while others had been opened only in the past few years.

The sites put off limits include Doodhpathri and Yousmarg in central Kashmir; Bungus valley in north Kashmir; Daksum, Sinthan Top and some gardens in south Kashmir; and a few prominent places in Srinagar.

An official of the tourism department said that the list has been framed at the administrative level as a security measure. "These are offbeat places that are on the sidelines. Tourists make passing visits to these places and don't stay much there," said the official, requesting not to be named.

Another senior tourist official said that most of the prominent destinations like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, the Dal Lake and the Mughal gardens in Srinagar are open.

"Some lesser-known destinations, with 4% to 5% of overall tourist footfall, have been closed temporarily as a precautionary measure," said the official.