Srinagar, June 28: The residents of Handawara in North Kashmir and visitors from other places have demanded reopening of the Bangus Valley. Pertinent to mention, the tourist destination of Bangus valley was closed for visitors after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April.
The valley, referred to as “heaven on earth,” was among many tourist spots closed following the killing of 26 tourists at the hands of terrorists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran . Following the attack, the authorities closed off access to several offbeat travel spots as a precautionary step, including Bangus.
“We are fed up with going to the same destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Bangus cannot be compared with any natural beauty and we were looking forward to it badly,” said Faisal Khan, from Jammu. “We have complete trust in our security forces that they will not allow anything untoward to occur. We will go with proper permission, if the government permits us,”he added.
Though better security and increasing public faith, the valley is still out of bounds. Visitors stated that the ban is impacting not only their itinerary but also the regional economy. “We drove down from Srinagar solely to visit Bangus,” said Handwara resident Mudasir Ahmed. “My guests had to go back disheartened since we weren’t permitted past Reshwari. It was devastating.”
Locals say in the past weeks, hundreds of tourists have been trying to visit the valley in peak summer months. Most are being sent back at the final checkpoint.
“Tourism is our bread and butter. After Bangus was closed, homestay owners, guides, and small shopkeepers are all suffering,” said Abdul Majid, a resident of Nowgam. “We urge the government to reconsider the security and open Bangus with proper precautions.
Another traveler added, “We don’t want to violate the law. But if there is an option to go there with permission, we will abide by all the rules. Please let us enjoy our own paradise.”
Locals and tourists both have asked the administration to review security all over again so that regulated tourism in Bangus Valley can be restarted at an early date.
