Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that Karnah has immense potential for border tourism, hiking and trekking, asserting that the government is working on a comprehensive programme to promote tourism in the area.
The Chief Minister was replying to a supplementary raised by the MLA Karnah during the Question Hour of the ongoing Budget Session of the J&K Legislative Assembly.
Highlighting the scenic beauty of the region, the Chief Minister said, “There is potential in terms of border tourism, there is potential in terms of hiking and trekking and there is immense natural beauty in Karnah. The government is planning a programme to ensure complete tourism promotion in this area.”
Holding the Tourism portfolio, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for sustainable and grassroots-level tourism infrastructure. He said that instead of constructing large hotels, the focus should be on developing homestay facilities. “We should promote tourism at the grassroots level. I think this will be more beneficial to the area,” he added.
Acknowledging concerns raised by the local representative, he said that more needs to be done to promote tourism in remote areas like Karnah. “There is no doubt that the area from which the Honourable MLA Sahab belongs is very beautiful, but it is also remote. We may not have done as much as we could for tourism promotion,” he said.
Clarifying on the proposed cable car project from TD Drangyari to Zarla via Sadhna Pass, the Chief Minister stated that no such proposal is currently under consideration in the Tourism Department.
He cautioned against the perception that installing a cable car automatically boosts tourist inflow, citing examples from other regions. Referring to Gulmarg, Jammu, Srinagar and Patnitop, he said that despite gondola facilities at multiple locations, footfall remains significantly higher in Gulmarg.
“Everyone keeps an eye on Gulmarg and thinks that if a cable car is installed in their area, tourists will come in the same way. This is not right,” he said, adding that “if a gondola is installed without proper planning and it does not become viable, it will not benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The Chief Minister reiterated that the government is committed to promoting tourism across the J&K by bringing lesser-known destinations onto the tourism map, subject to feasibility and availability of resources.
He also highlighted several initiatives undertaken in Karnah Constituency to boost tourism, including construction of a Tourist Cafeteria and Public Convenience at Drangyari, hosting of a Winter Carnival at Drangyari in January 2023, and a Mega Yoga Festival at Teetwal in June 2024.
“These initiatives are aimed at enhancing tourist footfall and creating livelihood opportunities for the local population,” he said.