Opportunity for J&K to focus on areas outside Valley for such a ‘one state, one global standard tourist destination’

• PM Modi has been the 1St to give idea of promoting a ‘one state, one global standard tourist destination’
• Omar Abdullah must take on call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• Substantial unexploited potential around Shivaliks/Chenab /Pirpanchal for commercial summer/winter/Pilgrim tourism’

DAYA SAGAR

Let us have a very brief reference to the potential areas in UT of J&K for high potential summer/ winter/ pilgrim/adventure /health resort/ sports tourism potential extending over Kathua/ Udhampur/Doda/ Kishtwar/ Rajouri/Poonch districts where the project “one state, one global tourist destination” could be possibly conceived for laying ..
Kishtwar and Doda Districts of J&K are relatively stillmore backward (economically and administratively) even after 77 years of Independence inspite of the fact that these areas have substantial potential for exploitable commercial summer / winter tourism as well as pilgrim tourism. No doubt areas in Rajouri & Poonch districts and outers of Udhampur & Kathua too have reasonably enough scope for summer & winter tourism. “One” may plead that the climate enroute to possible exploitable tourist spots / areas in Jammu region is warm/ rough in summer unlike that in Kashmir valley but the governments cannot take excuse / shelter under such pleas keeping in view that even in desserts like Dubai and similarly situated areas in HP high potential commercial tourism has been promoted& sold successfully even abroad. Ghulam Nabi Azad , when he was inaugurating week long “Kailash Tourism festival” at Bhaderwah had said on 19-08-2006 that Doda, Poonch, Rajouri, some parts of Kathua, Udhampur , Kupwara and Baramulla are glaring example of discriminatory policies which were propagated by the successive Governments in the State.( J&K). Mr. Muzaffar Hussain Baig too had then accused previous governments for discriminating with Jammu saying that Jammu region has huge tourism potential but Governments had not cared to explore the potential. Even after that only a few tiny tourist projects / circuits of values of just 5 to 20 crore INR have been talked of by the political leadership for these areas. To quote block Panchariearlier fell nearly in three assembly constituencies viz Reasi, Chenani and Udhampur but here to summer tourism potential has not been commercially exploited even when area is so near to District HQ Udhampur and the Katra Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. Patnitop and Sanasar are so talked about spots but these too have not been properly looked after even after 1990.A just 18 Km road from Patni to Sana Sar speaks well of the attention with what tourism sector in Jammu region has been carried on. Commercial Tourism potential from Udhampur to Bhaderwah has been the victim of all round neglect.
Even the Greens and Valleys lying in and around Trikuta Hills, River Chenab and Natha Top hills have reasonably high potential for commercial and the pilgrim tourism with multi dimensions sites that could be developed to attract visitors . Around / in Pancheri/ Moungri area some Gandola Sites could be like from Moungri to Deber Thayar with 3 to 4 KM Span , Moungari to Achal ( Ajjal) Dhabbar with another3-5 KM Span, Dubey Gali to Khargali with upto 4 KM Span and Laki ( BadsarDevta) to Basnote Top about 3 KM Span.
The Sankhri Devta Shrine is situated on a beautiful and sloppy hill top called ”Sankhri Dabbar” about 3 kilometer from Panchari in Tehsil Udhampur. Large meadow of 3 to 4 Acre , Pine forest, Deodar forest, springs and Bowalies are in and around the small cool and beautiful hill of Pancheri. Pancheri is about 7 Km from Kanth Gali, 30 Kilometer from Kainthgali is the Mongri Cave of Shiv Parvati, Bamhaal is a cool pine forest near Mongri,about 5 Km from Mongri is about 2 acre Jalsar, nearby spots like Saroli Dhar are nearly as beautiful as is Gulmarg and with a height as large as Natha Top; Two cave shrines of Lord-Shiv-Parvati have around 9½ ft high exquisite self-carved rock Shivlingam . Sar Dabbar, Sanara, Tibba Kandroo, Ajjal in Mongri and Cheman Mata in Basnote could attract tourist& pilgrims to this area. To add lush green Deodar forest stretches at Damnote and Panchar too are there around along with breath-taking green slopes, ancient Devasthans at Bariot/ Badsar Devta at Laki ;theSankhriDevsthan there is a uphill nearly kacha path of about 2 Km from Village Mir. On way to Pancheri are Kirmachi historical temples claimed as built by Pandwa from where Kainthgali is just 25Km.
To be continued
(The writer is Senior Journalist and analyst J&K affairs [email protected] 9419796096)