Patnitop dons white mantle, tourist footfall increases

Deepanker Gupta

Patnitop, December 13

Heavy snowfall was witnessed in the picturesque Patnitop, Nathatop, Sanasar and other adjoining areas here today. Due to torrential rain from yesterday, heavy snowfall has occurred in the hilly areas of the district due to which temperature dropped tremendously.

Due to the snowfall, hundreds of tourists thronged Patnitop and Nathatop. Patnitop has so far received two to three feet snow in the last 48 hours, while at Nathatop, it is about four and a half feet.

“On Thursday, we had to return from Udhampur. But today, we managed to reach here,” said Sunil Kapoor of Jammu who had come with his friends and family. “We enjoyed a lot. It was a dream come true for us,” he added. Hundreds of tourists from Katra and Jammu also reached Patnitop. Most of them planned to stay here.

The owners of hotels, guest houses and lodges at Kud, Patnitop and Batote are happy as after the abrogation of Article 370, they are hopeful of good days ahead. “Tourists from Chandigarh, New Delhi and other parts of northern India have already got their bookings confirmed online and our hotels are almost packed,” said Koushal Sharma, president, Hotel Association, Patnitop.