Two months after Pahalgam attack, J&K parks welcome visitors again

Several parks at popular tourist destinations across Jammu and Kashmir, which were closed following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, reopened on Tuesday as part of a phased reopening announced by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha last week.

In the first phase, eight destinations each in the Kashmir and Jammu regions have been thrown open to the public. In Kashmir, these include the famed Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, parks near the Pahalgam market, Verinag, Kokernag and Achabal gardens in Anantnag district, as well as Badamwari Park, Duck Park near Nigeen Lake, and Taqdeer Park near Hazratbal in Srinagar.

In the Jammu region, the parks reopened include Sarthal and Dhaggar in Kathua, Devipindi, Siyad Baba and Sula Park in Reasi, Guldanda and Jai Valley in Doda, and Pancheri in Udhampur.

The reopening has been widely welcomed by both tourists and locals, who visited the parks in large numbers on Tuesday. Security personnel were deployed in strength around the reopened parks to ensure safety and instill a sense of security among visitors, officials said.

At Verinag, a well-known park in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a large number of schoolchildren gathered to welcome the tourists, creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere.

Authorities had shut 49 of the Union Territory’s 87 tourist destinations in late April, citing security concerns. The decision to now reopen them gradually has brought relief to those dependent on the tourism sector.

Mushtaq Pahalgami, president of the Pahalgam Hotel and Guest House Owners Association, called the reopening a positive step. “It will not only restore the livelihoods of those dependent on tourism but also welcome tourists back to the heart of paradise — Pahalgam,” he said.

In Pahalgam, both the parks near the main market and the scenic Betaab Valley saw a healthy turnout of visitors, including tourists from outside the region. “We were already feeling good and happy to be here, but the reopening of the park and the welcome we received made the experience even better,” said a tourist from Madhya Pradesh.

Tourist police personnel were also deployed to assist visitors. Local MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir welcomed the development and urged authorities to continue easing restrictions in a phased and secure manner.

Stakeholders from the tourism industry, while appreciating the move, urged the government to reopen more destinations soon. “We sincerely hope that other major spots, especially Aru Valley and other scenic locations around Pahalgam, will also reopen in the near future,” Pahalgami added.

“This is urgently needed so that pony owners, guides, small vendors, and other local tourism stakeholders can earn their livelihood and support their families with dignity,” he said. “Let’s continue to work together to revive tourism, protect nature and ensure sustainable development for all.”

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also recently commented, “If we truly want tourism to restart, we must gradually review and shorten the list of restricted areas.”