Mehbooba visits Pahalgam, reviews tourist facilities

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during her visit to Pahalgam.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during her visit to Pahalgam.

Excelsior Correspondent

PAHALGAM, Nov 12: On the second day of her tour to Anantnag district in connection with the Public Outreach Programme, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today visited the famed tourist resort at Pahalgam. She enquired about the tourist arrivals, sanitation, preparations for the winter festival and other facilities available to tourists.
The Chief Minister visited Pahalgam Club and took stock of the facilities put in place for the visitors. She also visited some other places in the town where developmental activities are going on and asked for pacing them up.
Mehbooba Mufti, on the occasion, was briefed about various beautification works at the tourist spot under execution. She was informed that beautification of Aru village is under execution at a cost of Rs, 1.37 crore which involves Rs. 70 lakh fencing project for the 1500 kanal park.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the status of Rs. 2.69 crore Serene Park being built over an area of 88 kanals of land. She also took briefing on the Choorkadal Bridge being built at a cost of Rs. 85 lakh. The bridge would enhance the tourist attraction of the place by connecting Pahalgam bowl with Shikargah, a famed destination for foreign travelers in yesteryears. She also took review of Rs. 1.86 crore Tourist Facilitation Centre, Aishmuqam which would have many facilities for the convenience of visitors.
Mehbooba Mufti impressed upon all the concerned agencies to get the works completed at the earliest and ensure that sanitation is maintained to the highest level to make visitors’ stay much more confortable.
The Chief Minister also interacted with the hoteliers and other members of tourism fraternity who apprised her of their activities and difficulties.
Vice Chairman, JKTDC, Rafi Ahmad Mir; Secretary, Tourism, Sarmad Hafiz; Deputy Commissioner, Anant-nag, Muhammad Younis Malik; Chief Executive, Pahalgam Development Authority, Simnani and other officers of Tourism, PDA and district administration accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Later, the Chief Minister, alongwith Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 8th meeting of 3rd Executive Council of Jawahar Mountaineering Institute and Winter Sports, Pahalgam.