- By Shubham Bajpai
- Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:09 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a temporary closure of 48 tourist destinations out of 87 across the union territory, several media reports said. These tourist sites either fall in the vulnerable areas or are in proximity to the intensified anti-terror operations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Among destinations closed are: Yousmarg, Tousimaidan, Doodpathri, Bangus, Kariwan Diver Chandigam, Aharbal, Kousarnag, Wular/Watlab, Rampora Bangus Valley, Rajpora, and Chearhar, among others.
Meanwhile, the sites still open will see heightened security. The tourist footfall in the valley is already on a decline after the gruesome killing of tourists by the terrorists of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), on April 22.
The tourists arriving at the Srinagar Airport saw a decline. On April 23, 17,653 passengers travelled via 112 flights. Among them, 6,561 were arrivals and 11,092 departures. On April 24, passenger traffic was 15,836, including 4,456 arrivals and 11,380 departures.
The security forces have intensified searches across Jammu and Kashmir and cracked down on terrorists and their associates. Several overground workers (OGWs), who assisted in the terror activities, were arrested in the past couple of days, while several dozen others were detained on suspicion.
Houses of at least 10 terrorists were razed to the ground after the attack in Baisaran Valley. It is said that some of the houses were destroyed by explosions stored inside the houses.
On the diplomatic front, Indian has retaliated by holding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, revoking visas of all categories except long-term and diplomatic ones. The military, on the other hand, launched a crackdown on the terrorists in the valley. So far, at least 10 houses of terrorists have been razed to the ground.
Moreover, Pakistani nationals, on short-term visas, were directed to leave the country. In an escalatory spiral measure, Pakistan also held all bilateral agreements in abeyance, including the 1972 Shimla Agreement. It also banned trade with India and closed its airspace for the Indian aviation industry.