Union Budget drives trekking revival in J&K

Srinagar, Feb 1: The Union Budget 2026–27 proposal to develop ecologically sustainable mountain trails across Himalayan states, including Jammu and Kashmir, has raised hopes among adventure tourism operators and forest officials, who see it as a much-needed boost for the UT’s long-stalled trekking sector.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, announced an initiative to promote eco-friendly adventure tourism to generate livelihood opportunities in the hilly regions.
“We will develop ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, also in Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and in the Western Ghats. Turtle trails along key nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala will be developed,” the Finance Minister said.
“Local trekkers and organisers welcomed the announcement terming it as a long-awaited recognition of J&K’s untapped adventure tourism potential. This could be a turning point for Kashmir’s trekking economy,” said Rayees Reshi, a Srinagar-based trekker and organiser.
“If mountain trails are revived with clear safety protocols, signage, waste-management systems and trained guides, it will bring back trekkers who once came from across the country and abroad,” he said.
Another trekker and organiser, Younis Ahmad Mir from Tangmarg, said the move could boost employment for hundreds of guides and porters who lost livelihoods after trekking routes were suspended.
“Our youth invested in trekking gear and training, but restrictions and lack of infrastructure broke the momentum. The Budget push gives us hope for a structured revival,” he said.
Wahid Reshi, an adventure enthusiast from Srinagar, said the announcement has raised hopes that popular routes will reopen safely. “The new mountain trails announced in the Union Budget give us hope that we can explore the mountains again with proper guidance and permits,” he said.
Irfan Rasool, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Kashmir, said there are around 84 trekking routes in Kashmir, and if funding is provided, they will be properly developed and beautified.
“If the government promotes offbeat tourism, including hiking and trekking in forests and alpine regions, it will create significant livelihood opportunities. Local youth and even older adults with fitness can be trained as eco-guides to operate these trails safely,” he said.
He said that Kashmir’s alpine lakes and mountain landscapes are world-famous.
“With proper development and promotion, adventure tourism here can become a new category, attracting large numbers of visitors and giving our mountains the recognition they deserve,” he said, adding that trekking and hiking continue in all seasons in the Valley, even during snowfall.
Status of trekking in J&K
Following security concerns after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, authorities suspended trekking and camping activities across major routes in the Valley.
Popular circuits such as Tarsar-Marsar, Kashmir Great Lakes, Gangbal and Lolab-Bangus were placed off-limits under forest and security advisories.
Meanwhile, Dr V. S. Senthil Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu region, told KNO that the Forest Department has identified and developed several trekking routes across both Jammu and Kashmir regions.
“The routes vary from 2 km to 10 km and are designed with safety in mind, including benches and resting points,” he said.
He said that there are 32 trekking routes in Jammu, and three new routes are being developed this year.
“These routes attract a wide range of people, from IT professionals and college students to domestic and international tourists. Over the past one to two years, we have collected data on visitor interest and organised trekking events to engage enthusiasts,” Kumar said.
“With the Union Budget’s focus on mountain trails, we hope to further promote trekking and hiking in J&K, providing adventure opportunities while supporting local livelihoods and sustainable tourism development,” he added.
At present, most major trekking routes in Kashmir remain officially closed, though authorities are expected to review their status before the 2026 summer season.
Hope for revival
Under the new Budget provisions, mountain trail development will include eco-friendly infrastructure, rescue and communication systems, and training programmes for local youth.
Tourism stakeholders believe this will restore the flow of adventure travellers and strengthen the rural economy in remote districts such as Ganderbal, Kupwara and Pahalgam.
“Adventure tourism brings income to the last mile, from pony owners to tea sellers on the slopes,” said Younis Ahmad Mir.
It is worth mentioning that trekking in J&K was once a vibrant part of the tourism calendar, drawing visitors to alpine routes between May and September. The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek and Tarsar-Marsar Circuit were ranked among India’s most beautiful expeditions before the 2025 restrictions. (KNO)