Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday clarified that helicopter services currently operating in remote regions like Gurez are exclusively meant to serve local residents who remain cut off during the harsh winter months, and not for tourists.
The clarification came in response to a query raised by MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly regarding the possibility of introducing helicopter services for tourists in border areas such as Gurez in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, told the House that the existing helicopter services were designed to ensure essential connectivity for locals during winter isolation.
“The helicopter services in Gurez are only meant for locals as the area remains cut off during winters. So far, the government has no plan to start helicopter services for tourists in far-flung areas, including Gurez,” the Chief Minister said.
However, Omar Abdullah emphasized that the government was open to the idea of private sector participation in tourism-linked air connectivity. “If any private player intends to start helicopter services for tourists in Gurez, we won’t create hurdles; instead, we will support them,” he said. [KNT]
