Patnitop is a major tourist spot, a place to relish the cool breeze of pine trees in summer and snowfall in winter. Times changed, terrorism played spoilsport, with tourists’ footfall decreasing to a negligible level in Kashmir, and Patnitop was the alternative for tourists, especially for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims. Three decades of terrorism couldn’t dampen the footfall at Patnitop, but the recent highway widening has changed the whole scenario for Patnitop. With the opening of the tunnels, Patnitop has been bypassed, and no more footfall from Kashmir-bound tourists is expected. Things got further complicated with the blanket ban on any construction at Patnitop by the Supreme Court. While the other tourist places were flourishing, Patnitop somehow lost its sheen after years of neglect. A proposed Convention Centre at Patnitop got entangled in a dispute between two Government departments, with the Forest Department playing spoilsport. It is also worth investigating who is, behind these absurd roadblocks. Patnitop Development Authority, with its limited budget and land constraints, is still able to create a buzz for Jammu tourism with a series of cultural and winter sports events; in fact, they are still the torchbearers of Jammu tourism as far as footfall is concerned. The decks have been cleared for the proposed Convention Centre and one hopes Patnitop gets the much-needed impetus now.
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