Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a golden interval as 80 lakh vacationers visited the Union Territory in the previous few months, a document within the final 15 to twenty years, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated right here on Saturday.

He additionally highlighted a number of initiatives of the federal government to spice up tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.

The LG flagged off an occasion titled ‘Athwas’, a singular partnership between residents and authorities for the rejuvenation of the Dal Lake. Under the undertaking, de-weeding and dredging of the waterbody will probably be carried out in collaboration with the residents. He stated the federal government is planning to scrub 3,600 waterbodies throughout UT this yr.

“Several activities are happening (on the tourism front), 3,500 shikaras row the lake each day and I think no activity can be bigger than that. Around 400-500 (tourists) arrive here every day. The number of flights has increased. For some, it is difficult to get a ticket to Srinagar just two-three days before (the travel date). Hotels are booked. We are thinking about having more hotels here,” Sinha said.

He said the Dal Lake has become cleaner and will be restored to its pristine glory soon.

“The people as well as the administration here have vowed to keep clean the Dal Lake, which is the cultural and historical heritage of the city. People from the world over want to visit the lake. The average citizen now feels that the lake has become cleaner than before.

“There are provisions for 136 crore in the budget for cleaning the lake. Money had come before as well, but I do not think it was utilized as it is being done now. The lake has become better and the change is visible,” Sinha said.

He added that money has been deposited in the DBT mode into the accounts of those cleaning the lake, which has led to a change in their economic and social lives and also ensured the cleaning of the lake on a war footing.

On the conservation of Wular Lake, Sinha said that a walkway is proposed to be built along the lake which will enhance the beauty of Wular as also help in preventing encroachment along it.

About the Smart City project for Srinagar, he said the administration is working on the need to protect the city’s inheritance and also to provide modern amenities.

Kashmir getting visitors due to CRPF’s good work: Home secretary

Home secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday lauded the CRPF personnel for neutralizing many hardcore terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and ensuring security due to which tourists were flocking to the Valley.

Bhalla, while officiating as the chief guest at the ‘Valour Day’ event of the country’s largest paramilitary in New Delhi, said while large-scale violence was anticipated in Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) showed good cooperation and contained the violence to “a large extent”.

“The cooperation between Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF has been excellent and that has been beneficial,” he stated addressing the troops and officers of the pressure at a camp in south Delhi.

He stated it’s as a result of “hard work” of the CRPF jawans that many vacationers are visiting Kashmir and there’s a “sense of security” within the union territory.