Jammu and Kashmir’s Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, has instructed the reopening of 14 tourist destinations in the region. These spots, closed following the brutal Pahalgam massacre, include 11 in the Kashmir Valley and 3 in the Jammu division. Among the locations reopening in the Valley are Yousmarg, Doodhpathri, Dandipora Park, Peer Ki Gali, Dubjan, Padpawan, Astanpora, Tulip Garden, Thajwas Glacier, Hung Park, and Wullar/Watlab.
Officials have confirmed the immediate reopening of these 11 sites. Additionally, three tourist spots in the Jammu Division – Devi Pindi in Reasi, Mahu Mangat in Ramban, and Mughal Maidan in Kishtwar – are also set to reopen promptly. However, Gurez, Athwatoo, and Bangus in the Kashmir Division, along with Ramkund in Ramban in the Jammu Division, will reopen once the snow is cleared.
These tourist spots were shut down after the tragic terror attack at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, where 26 individuals, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner, lost their lives. The assault was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, leading to national outrage and a directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the armed forces to respond.
In response to the attack, Indian armed forces conducted ‘Operation Sindoor,’ striking deep inside Pakistan without crossing the border. The strikes targeted terror infrastructure in Muredki near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, and other locations without affecting Pakistani military installations. Pakistan retaliated by attacking civilian facilities in J&K, resulting in the destruction of a mosque, a temple, a gurudwara, and the loss of 14 civilian lives in Poonch district.
