Srinagar/ July 23 : Chairman Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Front (J&K PDF) and former Minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has rued poor infrastructure development coupled with mismanagement at Doodhpathri , Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places .He said vast tourism potential of these bewitching tourist places has remained unexploited so far due to government apathy .
Talking to various deputations of Khansahib ,Budgam on Sunday Hakeem said that mismanagement by the concerned tourism development authorities was at galore in all the three tourist resorts of Doodhpathri , Tossamaidan and Yusmarg adding that the touts were roaming free to cheat and fleece the tourists . He said despite inviting attention of the government towards the burning issues in Doodhpathri , Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places , no step has been taken for the purpose so far.
” There was a dire need to create basic tourism infrastructure to exploited vast tourism potential in these natural tourist destinations ,” Hakeem said while flaying Government for it’s “lackadaisical approach” in this regard. He said government was only busy in promoting and advertising some already known tourist places like Gulmarg ,Pahalgam, Sonamarg whereas Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places are beng ignored constantly for about last 10 years .He underscored the need to develop new tourist destinations and bring them at par with already developed tourist resorts ,in the interest of overall tourism industry and local populations. “The vast tourism potential of Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg tourist places , if exploited optimally , would give a new direction to tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir , besides creating vast job avenues for the local youth ,,” Hakeem said.. He also said that these tourist places are located in the vicinity of Shiekh- ul – Alam International Airport and Railway Station Budgam which would go well with the promotion of tourism in Kashmir. He said there was a vast potential of adventure and winter tourism in these tourist places which needs to be exploited fully.
PDF Chairman further said that all the three tourism development authorities (TDAs )of Doodhpathri, Tossamaidan and Yusmarg were defunct due to lack of manpower and requisite funds for infrstructural development . Hakeem also reiterated his demanded for construction of Gulmarg – , Tossamaidan- Doodhpathri – Yusmarg tourist circuit to give big boost to the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
