Lolab, Bangus in Kupwara to come up on tourist map

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 5

Once a restricted zone for civilians as militants used these routes to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley, the J&K Government is planning to promote Lolab and Bangus as new destinations on the region’s tourist map.

The government is planning to promote Lolab and Bangus, vast meadow resorts in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district, in a “big way”, said an official spokesman. The Department of Tourism will host a festival there this month.

“The aim is to bring these virgin tourist destinations on international tourist map,” the spokesman said. The festival will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on July 19 and July 21.

Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan today chaired a meeting of officers to review the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the Lolab-Bangus festival. The meeting was attended by local parliamentarian and legislators, and officials of the Tourism Department.

“We are hopeful that the Lolab-Bangus valley will become a hub of tourism-related activities in near-future,” the minister said at the meeting.

Lolab and Bangus were no-go zones to civilians and entry remained restricted to these areas as security forces battled waves of militants who attempted to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley in early years of militancy in 1990s. Lolab and Bangus, both located close to the Line of Control, were highly active infiltration routes.

However, in recent years, as militancy declined and number of infiltration attempts recorded a significant dip, the government took initiatives to bring the two locations on the tourist map.

At the meeting today, the minister directed the officials to “prepare plans and programmes” for development and promotion of the two virgin tourist destinations.

Haq said inclusion of Lolab and Bangus on the tourism map would be “ideal and suitable to the tastes and needs of the tourists owing to its scenic and lush-green topography, perennial streams and adventure tracks”.