Despite Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department organizing ten road shows in different states during the past few months, the number of tourists visiting Kashmir has not picked up till date. Stakeholders and the officials of the Tourism department claim that the aftershocks of five-month long 2016 summer unrest are still being felt and these have brought down the tourist influx to zero. As per Tourism officials and stakeholders, the Tourism department along with local stakeholders organized road shows and participated in travel marts at Lucknow, Kochi, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Indore, Ahmedabad,…
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Business
Srinagar to host mega Tulip Festival from April 1: Bahaar-E-Kashmir
The Tulip garden flaunts more than 20 lakh tulips of 46 different varieties in the back of mighty Zabarwan range. Secretary Tourism and Floriculture Farooq Ahmad Shah today said a mega Tulip festival will be celebrated in Srinagar from April 1. The festival, a part of ‘Bahaar-e-Kashmir’ event, will showcase Asia’s largest Tulip garden in Srinagar, he said. The Tulip garden flaunts more than 20 lakh tulips of 46 different varieties in the backdrop of mighty Zabarwan range. The Secretary announced the 15-day festival will start from April 1. “The…
Read MoreTourist arrivals pick up in Kashmir
After taking a hit during last year’s summer unrest, tourist arrivals have now started picking up in the Kashmir valley. Officials say they have already received advance bookings and are expecting a good increase in tourist footfalls from March-end onwards with the opening of Tulip Garden. “Arrivals have already started picking up. We are expecting a good number of tourists by the time Tulip Garden reopens,” said Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah. Stating that though the arrivals so far were lesser as compared to the corresponding period last year,…
Read MoreContractors to face penalties for delaying in power project
With the implementation of the Restructured Accelerated Power Development & Reforms Programme (RAPDRP) running behind schedule, the government has directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to impose penalties on defaulter contractors. The Centrally sponsored project was supposed to be completed by the end of 2015-16 but it is still incomplete with allegations of use of poor quality material and equipment being levelled against the contractors hired by IRCON International Limited which was awarded the contract in 2014. The project has seen long delays ever since it was announced during the…
Read MoreHDFC, ICICI, Axis to charge you at least Rs 150 after 4 free transactions
India’s leading private banks said on Wednesday they will charge a minimum of Rs 150 for cash deposits and withdrawals after four free transactions in a month, reviving charges that were kept in abeyance briefly after the government scrapped high-value notes in November. HDFC, ICICI and Axis banks will calculate the fee – aimed at reducing cash dealings – at the rate of Rs 5 for every Rs 1,000 transacted or Rs 150, whichever is lower. HDFC and ICICI sources said the fees will be applicable to transactions outside of home…
Read MoreDaily 50 flights to arrive at Srinagar Airport from March onwards
Airlines’ proposal to double daily in and out flights to 100 welcome step: Tourism Inc After taking a nosedive due to last year unrest, air traffic to Kashmir may witness more than cent percent increase with a record number of 100 flights scheduled in and out at the Srinagar Airport beginning March. Seven airlines operating to Srinagar in their new schedule submitted to Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), New Delhi, have increased their number of flights to Srinagar taking the total count of daily arrivals to the capital city…
Read MoreJonty Rhodes bats for ‘Incredible’ Kashmir
Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, who has been to Kashmir three times, has appeared in a promotional video for Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, urging people to visit the “incredible” Valley for its “amazing” hospitality and tourist places. “This is my third visit to Kashmir…. I have done heli-skiing in the past and I learnt to snowboard on the hills right behind me,” Rhodes says in the 72-second video shot in the famous skiing resort of Gulmarg this winter. Impressed by the local hospitality and the wide range of…
Read MoreIndia’s own Switzerland, Kashmir is Safe: Tourism Secy
An amount of Rs 2,400 crore will be invested in Jammu and Kashmir during the next five years to give boost to the tourism sector, which is considered as the backbone of the state economy, with the government laying special focus on unexplored and new regions like Kargil. This was stated by the Secretary, Tourism, J&K, Farooq Shah, on the sidelines of a function in Mumbai last night. Shah, along with other state functionaries was in Mumbai to promote the state’s rich culture, serene beauty and unmatchable landscapes. “The Union…
Read MoreCurbs on big fat weddings leave a bitter taste for Valley Chefs
The state government’s order to check extravagant wedding celebrations has not gone down well with ‘wazas’ (traditional chefs) and other stakeholders while others remain sceptical about the implementation of the government order. Even as people had already started booking wazas ahead of the wedding season that usually starts after mid-April and lasts till October-end, the chefs now fear another year of loss. “Last year, our business took a hit due to the unrest. Now, the government order will again hit us hard and we fear another year of loss. While…
Read More‘Arbitrary’ checking of vehicles returns on highway, allege transporters
Transporters and commuters have alleged that arbitrary checking of vehicles returned on the Jammu-Srinagar highway stretch passing through Ramban following the reshuffle in Traffic department. “Traffic cops posted on Jammu Srinagar National Highway especially in Ramban district are violating instructions and orders of the the department by taking advantage of absence of officers transferred in recent reshuffle” sources alleged. They said that cops along with official vehicles can be seen after every ten Kilometers ‘waiting for their prey to extract money in the name of entry from the drivers plying…
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