JK Tourism promotes Kargil as adventure destination

Once a war zone for India and Pakistan, battle-scarred Kargil is now emerging from this nightmare with the slogan: Discover Untamed Kargil. With the idea to promote Kargil as a adventure tourism destination, the central and state governments have promised Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 400 crore respectively, towards strengthening its tourism infrastructure over the next five years.

"Kargil was neglected on the political level due to not having anything apart from tourism, but today there are no enemy threats and the situation there is hundred per cent peaceful with 15 to 20 un-starred hotels ready and another 100 coming up soon to cater to the rush of tourists seeking winter and summer attractions like its three ancient, 15-metre-high, "largest in the world" Buddha rock statues that rival the famous Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan," said Jenab Haji Anayat Ali, Chairman, J&K State Legislative Council and chief guest at the J&K, Kargil tourism roadshow here.

"Our late Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed's dreams of promoting Kargil are being carried forward by his daughter and present Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed. We are spending Rs 50-60 crore this year. We are urging tourists to Amarnath and Vaishnodevi to also include a visit to Kargil, which has a different culture and language in every 20 km of its 15,000 square km area. Besides the three Buddha statues in Karchykhar, Apati and Mulbach villages, it also remains cut off for six months in winter," he said.

Pointing out that "Paradise on Earth – Kashmir" had gone through challenging times, Mehmood Ahmed Shah, Director, J&K Tourism, said Kargil – with its monuments, forts, heritage sites, mosques and monasteries – is also the hub of adventure activity including sports like snow rugby, frozen river treks modernisation of the 'gondola' cable cars, and snow carnival. Ashraf Ali, President, All Kargil Travel Trade Association, said 60 hotels are ready for tourists' stay.

"We will be having a film city in Kashmir soon," Rafi Ahmed of JKTDC said. He also said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti would visit Mumbai to assure about tourists' safety in Kashmir and urge Bollywood's film fraternity to continue shooting films there.