SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the time had come to reopen tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir that were closed following last year’s terror attack in Pahalgam.
“Many tourist areas are still closed in J&K post Pahalgam attack. In my opinion, time has come to reopen them again,” Omar told the Legislative Assembly in Jammu today.
“We are in touch with the Government of India and talks in this regard are going on. The Home Minister is visiting J&K and I will take up this issue of closure of some tourist destinations with him when I meet him,” he said.
Following the April 22, 2025 terror attack at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, in which 25 tourists and a local ponywala were killed, the authorities had, as a precautionary measure, closed 48 tourist destinations across the Valley for a security audit.
With an improvement in the security situation, several of these destinations were subsequently reopened, though many continue to remain shut.
Tourism stakeholders have been demanding the reopening of all tourist destinations that were closed after the Pahalgam attack, saying it is necessary to restore tourist confidence and revive the sector.
Last month, the authorities imposed a ban on trekking, hiking, camping and other outdoor activities in the high altitude and forest areas of Margan Top, Chauhar Nag and Sinthan Top in south Kashmir, as well as the upper forest areas of Tangmarg in north Kashmir.
Local residents were directed to inform the police before venturing into these areas, citing ongoing security movement. Non local tourists were strictly prohibited from entering the upper forest zones.
The restrictions were imposed amid a major winter operation launched by security forces in the upper reaches and dense forest areas of the Jammu region to track down militants using natural caves as hideouts.