Absence of TRC leads to sufferings

Even as the footfall of tourists has increased manifold at the Valley’s prominent tourist destination, Pahalgam, but a major facility, known as Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) is nowhere in sight since 2014. Although the TRC is currently functioning from a small space starved hut, there has been no proper TRC facility since the last several years, thus giving a bad impression among the tourists, who visit Valley from different parts of the country or outside as well. A TRC at Pahalgam was damaged in a massive blaze in the year 2014, following which the government claimed to have started a process to identify the land for the facility. It took almost seven years of the government to identify the land for the purpose, but at least eight months have passed since the land has been identified, but unfortunately there is no green signal from the concerned authorities with regard to coming up with a new TRC. At TRC, there should be availability of a spacious reception hall, JKTDC counter, information counter, cafeteria and registration counter, but when a place lacks all these facilities, the tourists visiting the place are bound to face hardships. Thus, in order to put an end to the sufferings of tourists and local guides at the world famous tourist destination, the government should speed up its process and ensure that the Tourist Reception Centre with all the basic facilities is available at an earliest.