Will Urge Amit Shah on Reopening Closed Tourist Spots in J&K: Omar Abdullah

 Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that his government is committed to revive Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector worst hit by the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and simplify its regulatory framework.

Responding to supplementary questions raised by legislators in the Union Territory Assembly, currently in its budget session here, the Chief Minister acknowledged that several tourist destinations remain closed following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local horse handler lost their lives.

He assured the House that the matter will be taken up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to the Union Territory beginning Thursday evening. He emphasised that the time has come to reopen these destinations and restore confidence among visitors and stakeholders.

Abdullah reflected on the challenges faced by J&K in 2025, describing it as a particularly difficult year marked by the Pahalgam attack, hostilities between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, devastating floods, natural disasters, and the Delhi car blast. These events collectively brought the tourism sector to a standstill, inflicting heavy financial losses on those dependent on it. Despite these setbacks, he stressed that the government’s resolve to revive tourism remains firm, with silent but steady efforts underway to restore the sector’s vitality.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the outdated regulatory framework governing tourism establishments, noting that the rules for registration and renewal of tourism units were framed as far back as 1978. He admitted with candour that successive governments, including his own earlier tenure, had failed to review these rules for decades. “I am personally ashamed to admit that since 1978, we never even thought of revising these procedures. However, better late than never, we are now working on it,” he said. The government is currently revising the J&K Tourist Trade Rules to simplify, rationalise, and streamline the registration and renewal process, he said.

The proposed reforms aim to make the system more transparent, user-friendly, and time-bound, thereby reducing procedural delays and improving ease of doing business.

Abdullah acknowledged that the existing process is cumbersome and often exploited for corrupt practices, with deliberate delays used to extract bribes. He emphasised the need for stronger deterrents and reforms such as self-declaration mechanisms and deemed approvals, where permissions are automatically granted if not issued within a specified period. He underscored that merely linking the process to the Public Services Guarantee Act is insufficient, as penalties under the Act are not stringent enough to prevent malpractice.

The Chief Minister informed the House that registration and renewal of guest houses, hotels, homestays, travel agencies, adventure tour operators, and other tourism-related units are now being carried out online. Under the Public Services Guarantee Act, applicants are assured of approval within 30 days upon completion of all requisite formalities. He further noted that simplified guidelines for homestay registration have been formally notified to encourage community participation, particularly in border and rural areas, thereby promoting inclusive and region-balanced tourism development.

Abdullah underlined the tourism sector’s role as a major source of both direct and indirect employment for local youth. He pointed out that the Department of Tourism actively promotes the sector through regular events and festivals across the Union Territory, creating diverse livelihood opportunities for event managers, transport operators, digital content creators, hospitality workers, guides, artisans, and other service providers. Outsourcing of assets such as cafeterias, huts, parking areas, and entry ticketing also generates employment on a regular basis.