With the summer unrest hurting tourism season in Kashmir, the state government is focusing on promoting border tourism to attract more visitors to the state. Several places on the border with Pakistan will be developed as tourism destinations on the lines of the Wagah border in Punjab, according to Minister of State for Tourism of J&K, Priya Sethi.
“We want to project the international border in J&K as the border of peace and bonhomie. The initiative has a huge potential,” said Sethi.
The state government has set aside INR 500 crore for the project.
“The government has plans to develop the border areas in Uri, Rajouri and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch among others. The Union Ministry of Tourism has given its nod to the project. We will soon discuss it with the Border Security Force.Under Phase I, which will be completed by 2018, the government will spend more than INR 50 crore on developing facilities for tourists in a few places we have identified for this purpose,” said Farooq A Shah, tourism secretary, J&K.
Kashmir valley’s tourism season this year was hit during the summer months by the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces.
Sethi said the PDP-BJP government aims at sending a message of peace and cultural harmony across the country through people visiting the frontiers. The efforts are expected build momentum for cross-border tourism. “A tourist facilitation centre, a theme park, a theatre, a walkway, eateries and cafeterias have come up in Suchetgarh border belt in RS Pura tehsil of Jammu district. Cultural programmes and local food will lift up spirits of tourists,” she informed.
Work is underway to develop infrastructure for 3D shows based on the history of the area. The government also intends to conduct beating retreat and flag ceremony at Suchetgarh border. “We want to give people a feel of life on the frontier. Being at the border in itself is thrilling. The feeling cannot be compared with anything else.The state came out strong after the five-month-long unrest; thanks to the tourism industry. We extend a warm-hearted invitation to tourists and pilgrims to visit the valley and help it revive its economy. Jammu and Kashmir has gone through a lot of turmoil, but it has time and again come up trumps in difficult situations with the support of the countrymen,” added Sethi.
Suchetgarh, which was an important trading point between Sialkot and Jammu before partition, records close to 1000 tourist footfall daily. “The tourism sector can generate employment for 70 per cent population of Jammu and Kashmir he said urging the tourism partners to lend priority to the state,” added Shah.
(PTI)
