The Deputy Speaker Legislative Assembly, Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi, today called for promoting Gurez in Bandipora district as a tourism destination by upgrading infrastructure in the pristine valley to augment its scenic beauty. He also stressed on ensuring direct hassle-free flights to Gurez area.The Deputy Speaker was chairing a meeting here today with the officers of Tourism, Civil Aviation Departments and Pawan Hans Limited convened to discuss the expansion of tourism infrastructure and issues pertaining to starting chopper services for Gurez area.He asked the Tourism Department officials to take all steps for promoting Gurez as a tourism destination in view of its scenic beauty. He said that for ensuring hassle-free flights to Gurez area, the bottlenecks should be cleared by the concerned departments adding that the construction and wire fencing of Helipad at Gurez should be completed at the earliest.Gurezi asked the Tourism Department to erect hoardings and signage at International Airport Srinagar and other prominent places to highlight the vast potential of Gurez Valley in a big way.
He also asked for preparing broachers for the purpose and also uploading the same on the social media to attract more and more domestic as well as foreign tourists to the area.The Deputy Speaker asked the Tourism Department to make all arrangements for holding the Gurez Festival in the month of July this year and also to devise tour packages for the intending tourists. He said that facilitation of tourists visiting Gurez be ensured in a coordinated manner by Tourism, Home, Revenue and Civil Aviation Departments. He said Gurez is the most peaceful and beautiful area of the State and thus needs proper marketing from the tourism point of view.The meeting was attended by the Managing Director Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation Sarmad Hafiz, Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmmood Ahmed Shah, Additional Secretary Tourism, Gulzar Ahmad, Additional Secretary Civil Aviation Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Assistant Commissioner Central with Divisional Commissioner Qazi Irfan, General Manager NR Pawan Hans Limited M S Boora and other concerned officers.