Nagin Valley reopens for tourists after 22 years

Botpathri (Gulmarg): Out of bounds for tourists, trekkers and locals for 22 years, the picturesque Nagin Valley on the 10-km serpentine stretch of Gulmarg-Botapathri road is now back on tourist map of Jammu and Kashmir (J and K) as an eco -tourism destination aimed to decongest Gulmarg.

"The valley will offer new and untouched terrain to the tourist and best camping site for trekkers," Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzan Jora told media recently.

Expressing satisfaction over the tourist inflow, Jora said the valley is expecting more footfalls this year.

"Last year, around 15 lakh tourists visited Kashmir, and this year, we are expecting more," he said.

Minister of State for Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani informed that Gulmarg has already hosted arrivals beyond its capacity, which prompted the opening of Botpathri for tourists.

"The opening up of Botpathri shall help in dissemination of economic benefits to the grass root tourist service providers of the area and help in their economic upliftment," he added, while stressing on the need to maintain cleanliness in the area to save the "ecologically fragile" valley.

The towering mountain peaks that surround Nagin to its south are the last patches of land before the Line of Control, located barely five kms away. (ANI)