Aharbal, Jul 03: The breathtaking Aharbal Waterfall popularly known as ‘Niagara Waterfall of Kashmir’ has witnessed a remarkable surge in tourist traffic during the first half of 2023, attracting over one lakh visitors, officials said.
According to the Aharbal Development Authority (ADA), Aharbal Waterfall’s mesmerizing beauty and serene surroundings have captivated the hearts of tourists from near and far, establishing it as an increasingly popular destination.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ADA Ghalib Shah told Rising Kashmir that around one lakh tourists have arrived at the Aharbal tourist destination up to the June end.
“We have been working hard to promote tourism in Aharbal, and visitors have flocked to the spot in both summer and winter. Aharbal has remained a popular destination for both domestic and local tourists throughout the year,” CEO said.
“In recent years, the number of visitors to the spot has increased dramatically.”
He said that 43402 tourists visited the location in June alone, with 37400 being locals, 6000 being domestic tourists, and two being overseas tourists.
The District Administration of Kulgam also held a Winter Carnival last winter in Aharbal to promote the place as an offbeat destination.
“The winter funfair also drew a significant crowd,” the CEO added.
Sumit Patel, a Gujarati tourist at the waterfall said that Aharbal is a great place to visit. We’ve gone to Gulmarg and Dal Lake, but Aharbal is an equally appealing tourist destination.
“A ticket of 10 rupees allows you to see a wonderful waterfall – a natural resource and enthralling place. There are some other things that the administration needs to develop at this place to help it grow even more,” Patel said.
An official said that the administration will soon put a lighting system near the waterfall so that tourists may enjoy relaxing views of the waterfall even at night.
“In addition to lighting, there is a plan to install a screen in the park to show live visuals of the waterfall for senior citizens who find it difficult to walk down steep steps up to the waterfall. The waterfall and the activities surrounding the Aharbal waterfall will be displayed live on the screen,” he said.
Notably, the number of tourist arrivals in 2020 was 55674; in 2021 it was 1.07 lacs; in 2022, the number of tourist arrivals grew to 1.8 lacs.
However, according to official figures, 1 lac tourists visited Aharbal during the first six months of 2023.
“The tourist arrivals post-2020 have increased manifold.”
