In a welcome move for tourists travelling to Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor of the state has directed that the Home Department’s advisory asking tourists to leave the valley to lift immediately effective from 10th of October this month.
On Monday Governor Satya Pal Malik said Tourists warned by the government to leave Jammu and Kashmir just days before the state was stripped of its special status will be welcomed back from Thursday.
As states administration’s information department said “The government had issued an advisory asking the tourists to curtail their stay in the Valley “immediately” soon after it took the step to suspend the annual Amarnath Yatra on August 2, citing “intelligence inputs of terror threats”. Within three days of the move, the Parliament scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the restive northern state.
Consequently in the following week, the Parliament then passed the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, paving the way for bifurcating the state into two Union Territories (UTs): Jammu & Kashmir with a Legislative Assembly and Ladakh without one.
Since 5th of August, the Governor has also been holding situation-cum-security review meetings on a daily basis for two hours generally from 6 to 8 pm. The meetings primarily focused on reviewing the security scenario after imposition of restrictions in the wake of constitutional changes.
On Monday the Governor was also apprised of the progress in apple procurement which has crossed 850 tonnes and worth Rs 3.25 crores. Added with some changes in the rates of apple are being made which will be announced soon.
Earlier in late August tourist operators had told the media that they were badly hit by the sharp drop-off in visitor numbers, and were worried many people would stay away for a prolonged period of time.
According to official data, more than half-a-million people visited the valley in the first seven months of this year .Addition to that some 340,000 religious tourists were also visited the valley in July before their pilgrimage was cancelled due to the terror claims.
After August 5th, a mere 150 foreign travellers visited Kashmir the figures showed.
