PDP Chief Urges J&K LG To Reopen Tourist Places Shut After Pahalgam Attack

SRINAGAR, Apr 1: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to reopen the tourist places that were closed in the wake of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack.
Mufti said several delegations from Anantnag called on her during her visit to the south Kashmir district on Wednesday and raised the issue of the closure of tourist places, especially in Pahalgam.
“Chandanwari is closed, Bijbehara-Langanbal route is closed, which houses many resorts…it is affecting livelihood. I appeal to the LG to reopen the Bijbehara-Langanbal road; let security arrangements be made, but the road should be reopened so that the people, who have invested lakhs of rupees to build resorts there, benefit from it,” Mufti told reporters.
She said the closure of the parks and places like Baisaran and Chandanwari in Pahalgam is “affecting the livelihood of pony wallahs and other people.” “What will those people do? There was an incident (a terror attack in Baisaran), but the whole of Kashmir should not be shut due to that incident. I appeal to the LG to consider this and reopen these places,” she added.
Terrorists attacked tourists in Baisaran in Pahalgam on April 22 last year, killing 25 tourists and a local ponywala. Following the attack, several tourist destinations were closed amid security considerations. While many spots were reopened gradually, some are still closed.
The PDP president also pointed out that the issue of “shortage” of LPG and said, “The government is saying there is no shortage, but there is.” The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J&K also appealed to the government to regularise the dailywagers.
“The issue of dailywagers is huge. They should be regularised. Many are on the verge of retirement. I hope the government would consider them and regularise them,” she said. (Agencies