J-K: Militant attacks, flash floods leave Bhaderwah's popular tourist spots deserted; locals urge govt action

Bhaderwah (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 5 (ANI): The tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhaderwah region is facing an unprecedented downturn, with popular tourist spots remaining deserted due to recent militant attacks and natural calamities like cloudbursts and flash floods.
Local residents, heavily reliant on tourism for their livelihoods, are urging the government to intervene and revive the industry.

Yasir, a local dependent on tourism, said, "I've been working in tourism [sector] for the last 8-10 years. I've never seen such conditions in the last eight years. In the past two years, the situation has been dire. You can see the silence here. After the Pahalgam attack, there were absolutely zero tourists for two and a half months. Then, after the summer season arrived, 30 per cent of our tourists came here. However, after that, many people suffered losses due to cloudbursts and flash floods in Kishtwar. No one wants to come here anymore."
He further urged the MLA to address the issue of Bhaderwah's tourism in the Assembly and organise festivals to boost tourism.

"I want our MLA to raise the issue of Bhaderwah in the upcoming Assembly session. We don't want government jobs. The issue of tourism must be raised in the Assembly. I want to request the CO to organise a festival here that will attract people."

Another local added, "I came to Guldanda. People used to come here to enjoy and be happy. But today, it feels deserted. The recent flash floods have caused significant damage to the tourism sector. Previously, lakhs of tourists visited the area, but today, it's completely deserted. The local youth used to support themselves through the tourism sector, but now, they are jobless. I request that the tourism sector be revived as soon as possible."

BJP leader Daleep Singh Parihar criticised the delay in completing the gondola project in Bhaderwah and accused authorities of neglecting Bhaderwah, leading to a decline in tourism and financial strain on local hoteliers.
"The gondola project, which has been under construction for three years, hasn't been completed. Bhaderwah is being neglected. What's the reason? Why is there discrimination? Our hoteliers are suffering. They built hotels by taking loans, and now they are suffering because of the decline in tourism. Bhaderwah's problems are my personal problems. We'll do our best to resolve them. This department is under the control of CM Omar Abdullah. When the Assembly first met, I mentioned that the Bhaderwah Constituency is the most beautiful," he said.
He added, "Every CM who has been elected has been from Kashmir, all the CMs who have been elected have been from Kashmir. They've never looked here. There was damage due to floods and heavy rains. No one from the NCP, Congress, or PDP came. The BJP workers remained on the move. They listened to the people's sorrows. They delivered supplies to the people and conveyed their demands to the government." (ANI)