For The Love Of Kashmir

Capital View

Rabindra Seth

For some reasons the national media has been reporting only on the revival of tourism in Kashmir and that too the remarkable growth in the number of visitors. It could be that numbers make a better impact than long term plans for infrastructural development. In the Valley's heyday before militancy chocked the flow of tourists towards the end of 80s, more than 700,000 holiday makers used to make a beeline to Srinagar and then spread out to Pahalgam, Gulmarg and other resort areas. After almost a decade and a half visitors started returning to Kashmir for the first time in 2003 in large numbers.

Some 200,000 leisure seekers came to the Valley, Ladakh and Jammu which was 600 per cent more than the figure of 2002. Last year, that is, 2004 there was almost a hundred per cent increase over 2003 with a count of nearly 377,000. This year, according to official data for the first four and a half months (upto May 15), the arrivals had exceeded 127,000 (an increase of 120 per cent). Unofficial estimates suggest that the state might possibly reach the earlier record of 700,000 if not in 2005 then certainly in 2006.

The turn around has brought in its wake a major challenge of infrastructural inadequacies largely in accommodation and air seats. In the case of accommodation the authorities are struggling to rehabilitate house boats and hotels which had closed down and provide the same level of capacity that existed when the state was able to services 700,000 visitors. This is not an easy task but the challenge can be met satisfactorily with help from the centre and from industry in other parts of the country. The problem of air seats is no longer daunting with the advent of a dozen or so new airlines, most of them in the budget category.

Upgradation of the Srinagar airport, fourlaning of the Jammu - Srinagar highway and extension of the link to the Valley and, its emergence as a ski-destination will bring a sea change to the tourism scene in Kashmir. Small wonder, that analysts have started talking of a million tourists in Kashmir by 2010. Take the airport. Work on readying it for international operations has been on for quite some time. And, the aviation minister, Praful Patel announced in Srinagar at a meeting with chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on July 5 that flights from Jeddah and Dubai will land there next year. He also agreed to consider Mufti's suggestion that Indian Airlines run shuttle services from Srinagar to Leh and Jammu and that flights from Delhi be so scheduled so as to enable a visitor if he or she so chose to return the same day.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has almost completed its project report for fourlaning the Jammu-Sringar road to ensure "a smoother, faster and better connectivity" for travellers. According to NHAI sources work on the project is expected to begin in a year's time. And, when it is completed the improved highway stretching between the Jammu and Srinagar bypasses, would not only substantially reduce the travel time but there will also be lesser number of bends and easier gradients. The new route will cut at least 40 kms from the existing 294 km length and at least four hours of travel time.

From the Railways comes interesting and exciting news about the project linking Udhampur (which is already connected with Jammu) through the Valley upto Baramulla. The exciting part is that one of the bridges, over river Chenab, a 390 metre tall structure, will be an engineering marvel and the world's highest (five times higher than the Qutab Minar). It will be 1.4 km long. In all, there will be a hundred major and minor bridges and about 126 km of tunnels in the 287 km network. From Udhampur the line will go to Katra, on to Qazigund on the other side of the Bannihal, to Srinagar and end at Baramula. The mega project, full of engineering challenges, will cost about Rs 1,200 crore. The first phase upto Udhampur was commissioned in April. The second will connect Katra in 2007 and the final phase will touch Srinagar and Baramula in 2008. When the whole project is completed the Railway will ferry some 15,000 passengers and 4,000 tonnes of freight per day.

Kashmir is no stranger to international heights where tourism is concerned. For decades it has sat on the Gulmarg golf course as the world's highest green at 10,500 feet. Just two months ago, it picked up its second international crown when the second and final phase of the ski-lift project at Gulmarg was ingurated. Project head, Farooq Ahmed is quoted as saying "it is the world's highest cable cars using gandolas and the only one that takes skiers to a height of 14,403 feet (the same as Nathu La)". The cable car which links Gulmarg with Afrarwat is nearly 2.5 km long and is already popular with those seeking adventure, or as a newspaper said "a new height of pleasure". Kashmir's snow is rated as among the best in the world for skiing and the cable car will strengthen its claim as a ski destination worldwide.

Hopefully the travel industry will do all it can to assist Kashmir to achieve its one million visitor dreams by 2010.

(The author is a freelance columnist and can be contacted at rabseth@yahoo.com)