Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he would raise the issue of reopening tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir, which were closed after the Pahalgam terror attack, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his three-day visit here beginning this afternoon.
Replying to a discussion in the Assembly, Omar said several tourist locations in the Kashmir Valley were shut following security concerns, but the situation now warrants a review.
“Some areas were closed, and the time has come to reopen them,” the Chief Minister said, adding that discussions with the Centre on the matter were ongoing.
He assured the House that the issue would be formally taken up with the Home Minister during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Minister also expressed concerns over the existing registration process for tourism-related units, describing it as outdated and cumbersome.
The CM said that every part of Jammu and Kashmir is directly or indirectly connected with the tourism sector and stressed the need to simplify outdated procedures to boost the industry.
He said that while some districts have high tourism potential and others relatively less, tourism remains an integral component across the entire Union Territory.