Kashmir Tourism: Need to preserve major attractions

The pristine beauty of Kashmir has been attracting the people from different parts of the country as well as the outside states of India as the footfall of visitors has been increasing at a rapid pace, giving an indication that in the times to come, the valley will be flooded with the tourists round-the-clock, thus simultaneously help boosting the local economy. But, a look at some facts is giving a different signal as the major attractions are decreasing with every passing year, which can play a spoilsport in the more expected tourism boom in the Valley. Dal Lake is among the favorite and most visited places where a number of houseboats have been hosting the guests from all across the globe since long. But, one needs to be informed that the persons associated have clearly mentioned that the iconic houseboats are declining and now the number has shrunk to just 750 compared 2000. The number of houseboats has been declining due to the blanket ban on construction and non-availability of master craftsmen. The associated persons as per the media reports claimed that the number may go down further if not taken care of properly. Therefore, the concerned departments, especially the Tourism department, needs to look into the matter seriously to make sure that the iconic houseboats will not become a history and that the construction of such houseboats is allowed in some cases. It is the time when the government and the people associated with the houseboats need to join hands to preserve the major attraction in Dal Lake, so that the houseboats would continue to host the guests in the next decades.