Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir): In an effort to restore normalcy and boost tourism following the recent terror incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting with administrative officials in Gulmarg, one of the Union Territory’s most frequented tourist destinations.
Sharing glimpses of the meeting on social media, Chief Minister Abdullah stated:
“Continuing our effort to take governance to key tourist destinations.”
He further elaborated on the meeting’s agenda:
“Held a meeting of Administrative Secretaries/HoDs at Gulmarg today, joined by my Cabinet colleagues, Advisor, and MLA Gulmarg. Reviewed readiness for Eid-ul-Azha, Mela Kheer Bhawani, Amarnath Yatra & Muharram.”
Tourism Recovery Post-Terror Attack
Chief Minister Abdullah also met and interacted with tourists in Gulmarg, aiming to build confidence and promote the region as a safe travel destination.
This outreach comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which caused a significant decline in tourist bookings and heightened concerns about safety in the region.
Earlier, addressing the media, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of coordination among multiple authorities to ensure effective governance and security, especially post-crisis.
“The fact is that security and law and order is not the responsibility of the elected government. Whose responsibility is it? The Lieutenant Governor. There are three sets of power centres that need to coordinate to ensure that things go smoothly here. I can promote tourism; I can create infrastructure for tourism. But the security of the tourists currently resides within the powers of the Lieutenant Governor and that is the point I made that the Union Government, elected government, and Raj Bhavan, we need to work together to ensure that what happened on 22nd April doesn’t happen again.”
Special Cabinet Meeting in Pahalgam
On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir government held a special Cabinet session in Pahalgam, more than a month after the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran valley, which tragically claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.
These recent administrative activities underscore the region’s commitment to reinforcing public safety, supporting tourism recovery, and strengthening inter-governmental coordination to prevent future tragedies.