Footfall ‘unregulated’ in Kashmir Valley’s new hot spots, tourism industry worried

Adil Akhzer

Srinagar, July 24

With unexplored destinations witnessing a massive influx of tourists in the Valley, tourism industry experts have raised alarm over the “unregulated” footfall and lack of focus on waste disposal mechanisms at these newly-opened sites.

“It is a big challenge for all of us. I am extremely worried,” Farooq Ahmed Kathoo, a tour operator in Srinagar, said. “As a tourism stakeholder, I want to leave a legacy for my next generation, but now it does not seem possible,” he said.

Kathoo said the most worrying aspect among the stakeholders was influx of tourists beyond the carrying capacities. “The authorities should ascertain the carrying capacity of a destination and allow visitors according to it,” he said.

He said waste disposal mechanism was another area that needed attention. “If things continue like this, in the next 10 years, nobody will call Kashmir a paradise on earth,” Kathoo said.

While Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg are among places where tourists have traditionally visited in recent years, Gurez village in Bandipore, the great lakes in South Kashmir and Bungas valley in North Kashmir are among the new destinations that have witnessed an increase in tourist footfall.

On Tuesday, a team from Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) met UT DGP RR Swain and raised the issues of “steady growth in tourist footfall having increased pressure on a few tourist destinations.”

The body suggested that “new tourist destinations be developed in a planned and organised manner taking in consideration carrying capacity, environmental impact assessment and climate change/global warming concerns.”

Rauf Tramboo, an adventure travel consultant, said the number of tourists coming for trekking and other adventure activities has increased manifold. “This year, I trekked to a number of places. I found that the tourist influx is huge and the sad part is that most of the people do not care about the environment. There is litter lying around everywhere,” he said.

He said the tourism industry’s focus should not only be on the number of visitors. “We all should focus on maintaining and managing tourist places as well,” he said.

He cited the example of Gurez valley in north Kashmir. According to officials, in 2023, more than 40,000 tourists visited Gurez Valley — a footfall never witnessed before by the small town located near the Line of Control. “It is a virgin valley, but see the influx. The condition is shabby now and authorities have been forced to stop people from putting up tents for night stay,” said Tramboo.

He also talked about Tosa Maidan in central Kashmir to prove his point. “People are taking cars deep inside the Valley, which shouldn’t happen. It is the responsibility of people as well, to take care of the environment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government recently reconstituted the 21 development authorities of Tourism Department in the UT.

Kashmir Tourism Director Raja Yaqoob Farooq couldn’t be contacted for a comment. A senior official, however, claimed that in the destinations whose onus was on development authorities, several measures, including solid waste management, were in place.

“As the number of tourists is now unprecedented, the government is now making a roadmap and the concerns which are put before us by the stakeholders are being looked into, with a focus on sustainable tourism,” the official added.

UT saw 1 crore tourists in 2024

Over one crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir till June 2024 and the tourism sector in the Union Territory has witnessed unprecedented growth post-abrogation of Article 370, the Union government said in parliament on Wednesday. Border tourism has picked up in Jammu and Kashmir and hitherto unknown locations have been opened up for tourism like Gurez, Keran, Teetwal and RS Pura, Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home said in his reply