Jahangeer Ganaie
Pahalgam, Jun 30: As the Amarnath Yatra draws near, Pahalgam witnessed an even larger tourist influx this weekend, with thousands thronging the scenic valley. The rush, mainly comprising local tourists, led to massive traffic jams that lasted for hours on the Pahalgam routes on Sunday.
The growing buzz is seen as a promising sign for the valley’s tourism sector, still recovering from the shadow of a 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that had initially sparked fear and cancellations.
The traffic snarls were reported from multiple stretches between Anantnag and Pahalgam, with vehicles crawling for miles. Despite the inconvenience, the atmosphere remained festive, as families, trekkers, and nature lovers took advantage of the weekend to visit the lush green meadows, riversides, and famous parks like Betaab Valley.
“This is the second consecutive weekend where we’ve seen a huge footfall,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a hotelier in Pahalgam, said. “Occupancy touched 80 per cent by Sunday evening. It feels like the season is picking up pace again, and we’re hopeful the upcoming Yatra will boost things even more.”
Local businesses, which had been reeling under uncertainty after the attack, are slowly regaining confidence. “The fear was there, but people have started coming back. The market was lively again, and we’ve had good sales after a long gap,” said Asma Jan, a handicrafts vendor near Lidder Park.
Tourism department officials said the steady rise in visitor numbers is a positive indicator. “We’ve been working to ensure safety and coordination across all departments. The weekend rush shows that people are regaining trust in Pahalgam as a safe tourist destination,” an official said.
Security has been tightened in view of the upcoming Yatra, with additional personnel deployed along key routes. The traffic department and Pahalgam Development Authority were on the ground, managing the crowd and ensuring that the rush didn’t spiral into chaos.
“The traffic was heavy but manageable. With proper planning and more deployment during the Yatra, we hope to streamline the flow better,” said a traffic official.
Photos and videos of the bustling Pahalgam along with jams went viral across social media, drawing praise and raising further hopes for a revival of tourism.
Stakeholders believe that if the current momentum continues, the season may still turn around. “With school vacations going on and Yatra, we hope the flow to further increase. If peace prevails, we’re looking at a near-normal season,” said Mohammad Yousuf, who operates a pony service.
Stakeholders said that there are still three months of peak season, and if they will go good, they will be able to earn their livelihood despite the dent caused by the attack. (KNO)
