Minister for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Relief & Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari, today said the virgin areas of Nakhpatri, Bandibala and Sathreseran will be developed as new tourist destinations. He said these areas have the potential to be developed as beautiful tourist destinations that will not only add value to the tourism sector of the State, but also bring business and provide employment opportunities to the locals, who can become stakeholders in the development of the area.The Minister said this during his extensive tour of Shranz and Bandibala areas of Sangrama constituency today.
The Minister was accompanied by Director Tourism, Kashmir, CEO, Gulmarg Development Authority besides other senior officers.At Shranz, the Minister said the area needs to come up as a satellite tourist destination to Gulmarg, and will act as a tourist base hub for it. He said various tourism facilities are being developed at Shranz including already sanctioned tourist trekkers facilitation centre, cafeteria, dormitory, ropeway bridge, timber jetty and tourist walkways. He said work on the said facilities will commence shortly.
The Minister also took stock of the status of work of the under-construction tourism hut at Bandibala, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 45 lakh. He called for expediting work so that it could be completed in a time bound manner.Bukhari asked the concerned officers to prepare a comprehensive project for the development of Nakhpatri, Bandibala and Sathreseran as new tourist destinations. He said these virgin areas are required to be developed and given exposure in order to attract more tourists. He said the area will also serve as a new tourist destination for the people of North Kashmir. Besides, it will also be developed as a camping site for college and school students and trekkers with tourist facilities including water-mills (Ghrat) where local food specialties will be made available alongwith way-side facilities, walk-ways and pony-track, the Minister said. During the visit various delegations also called on the Minister and presented their demands. The Minister assured that their genuine demands will be considered on priority.Later, the Minister also visited JKTDC Cafeteria at Tangmarg and took stock of the work there.