Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday took a strong stand against the continued closure of several popular tourist destinations across the Valley. He said the government cannot promote tourism and simultaneously keep key locations shut, calling it a contradictory and damaging approach.
Speaking at the inauguration of the newly built Convention Centre in Gulmarg, CM Omar said that the administration must take a clear position either fully commit to promoting tourism or stop making claims about normalcy in Kashmir.
“On one hand, the government talks about peace and encourages tourism; on the other, many popular tourist destinations remain closed for months. Both things can’t go hand in hand,” Omar remarked.
Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, he acknowledged it was an unfortunate incident but stressed that once security measures were put in place, there was no justification for keeping destinations closed indefinitely.
He named Drung, Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, Tosamaidan, and several parts of Gulmarg as examples of destinations that remain inaccessible. “Tourism stakeholders are suffering. Hotels are empty, transporters are idle, and livelihoods are at stake,” he said.
The Chief Minister further emphasized the contradiction between official statements promoting tourism and the ground reality of restricted access. “If you want us to promote tourism, then open the tourist places. You can’t have it both ways,” he said.
He urged the central and state administration to immediately review and reopen all viable tourist spots to support the struggling tourism sector and restore public confidence.
The remarks come at a time when Kashmir is trying to revive its tourism economy post-pandemic and after recent security incidents, which have once again raised concerns among stakeholders.
