Naveed-ul-Haq
Budgam, Jul 19: The sprawling Tosamaidan meadow in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district will once again be sanitized so that tourists could feel more safeter to visit the place which is being developed as a full-fledged tourist destination.
As per details available, explosions of shells killed have 60 people while more than 250 were disabled at Tosamaidan meadow that was under the army for decades. The meadow was used as a firing range by the army till 2014.
After the area was cleared of explosives, the meadow was opened to visitors on 30 May, 2016 and since then the government is organising programmes and festivals to promote Tosamaidan as a tourist destination.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tosamaidan, Nargis Suraya said that the department is working on forefront to develop Tosamaidan as one of the best tourist destinations. “All the works at base camp Sitharan will be completed till September after that work will be started to ensure better road connectivity to Tosamaidan so that people can easily reach this beautiful destination,” she said. “As of now 70 per cent work has been done at base camp (Sitharan Khag) where we have constructed, buildings, washrooms, double bed two huts, Chowkidar quarter and other infrastructure.”
She said that compared to last year, more tourists and locals visited the meadow in first seven months this year. “We are confident that our efforts to promote this place as a tourist destination and the involvement of local stakeholders will play a key role in the turnaround,” she added.
She said the private organisation have approached them so that they can have a sanitization drive at Tosamaidan. “With the help of modern tools, the organisation will make a sanitization drive in the entire Tosamaidan area to make the place safer for people as the fear of explosives can be in their minds of them,” she added.
The CEO said that the government will make better road connectivity to Tosamaidan after that tents will be set up there so that people will come and enjoy the beauty. “Locals as well as tourists can stay for night stay in the lap of meadows,” she said.
