Srinagar, July 23: Chairman J&K People’s Democratic Front (JKPDF) and former minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has rued the “poor infrastructural development” and “mismanagement” in Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places. He said the vast tourism potential of these bewitching destinations has remained unexploited so far due to “government apathy”.
Speaking to various deputations of Khansahib, Budgam on Sunday, Hakeem, according to a statement, said, “Mismanagement by the concerned tourism development authorities was at galore in all the three tourist resorts of Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg. The touts were roaming free to cheat and fleece the tourists. Despite inviting the attention of the government towards the burning issues in Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places, no step has been taken in this regard so far.”
There was a dire need to create basic tourism infrastructure to exploit the vast tourism potential in these natural destinations, Hakeem said, adding, “The government was only busy in promoting and advertising some already known tourist places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg whereas Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places are being ignored constantly for the last 10 years.”
The PDF chairman underscored the need to develop newer tourist destinations at par with already developed tourist resorts in the interest of the overall tourism industry and the local populace.
“The vast tourism potential of Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places, if exploited optimally, would give a new direction to the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir, besides creating vast job avenues for the local youth,” he said. “These tourist places are located near the Shiekh-ul-Alam International Airport and Railway Station Budgam which was a plus point in the way of promotion of tourism. There was a vast potential of adventure and winter tourism in these tourist places which needs to be exploited fully.”
The former minister said that all three tourism development authorities (TDAs) of Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg were defunct due to lack of manpower and requisite funds for infrastructural development. He reiterated his demanded for the construction of the Gulmarg-Tossamaidan-Doodhpathri-Yusmarg tourist circuit to give a big boost to the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
