LoC villages in Kashmir: Tourism activities intensify

Ground Report | New Delhi: LoC villages in Kashmir; Following a new ceasefire agreement in February this year, Guns have gone silent on the Line of Control (LoC) with this, tourism activities gradually resuming in villages close to the border in three northern districts of the Valley.

LoC villages in Kashmir

Trekkers, tourists, and locals have started thronging picturesque villages close to the Line of Control in Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora - something that prompted the Jammu and Kashmir administration to work again to boost border tourism in Kashmir. has prompted. February's ceasefire agreement between the two neighboring countries has eased fear and anxiety for nearly three decades and brought back special opportunities for people living along the Line of Control.

LOC villages in Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora districts in North Kashmir are slowly turning into a safe haven for trekkers, overnight camping, nature lovers, and locals and non-locals with a very cordial atmosphere without any fear. with sightseeing. Or threats from both sides.

ALSO READ: Marriage celebrations return to Kashmir’s LoC villages after decades

News agency KNO quoted officials from the three border districts as saying that with the ceasefire along the fence and the locals living comfortably, tourism activities in remote areas have picked up pace and people from different places visit unexplored places and One full of lots of memories and joy and happiness.

No threat of shelling

"Since the last week of February, the environment close to the fence is very calm and even the locals have a full sense of security as there is no shelling or threat," representatives of the three border districts said in unison.

Raja Aijaz Khan, a member of the District Development Council (DDC) in the Gurez Sector, said that he has made a lot of efforts to promote tourism activities in unexplored places close to the LoC and even to attract tourists from various Social media platforms have also been used. place.

"After facilitating the sector with the cellular network to attract more people to Gurez, we also used social media platforms and expect more people to come in the coming months," Khan said.

He said that a Mega Gurez Mela is to be organized in the coming days and huge participation of visitors is expected and the objective of this event is to attract tourists in numbers and let them know what this beautiful place has to offer to the visitors.

ALSO READ: Life Near LOC Kashmir: ‘Easy to die, hard to get injured’

In the Uri sector, the delegates said that the high ranges are proving to be a paradise for trekkers and campaigners who visit these places without any fear and visit places where people were never there before, without any fear or danger.

LoC villages in Kashmir; A peace bridge

Officials said that a huge event was recently witnessed along the Line of Control in which the torch was properly placed at the Command Bridge in Uri and cultural programs like Bhangra and Lezhim dance to celebrate the arrival of the torch at the command post was organized as a peace bridge.

An official of the Kanah sector said that the important Dantwal crossing bridge located on the Kishanganga river is working as peace between the two sides.

He said that the site is visited by many people from both sides and is emerging as a tourist destination especially after the recently agreed ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

"The peace and tranquility as a result of the agreement are being appreciated by the civilian population on both sides of the Line of Control," the official said.

He also said that the armies of India and Pakistan recently exchanged sweets on the Tithwal Bridge on Eid-ul-Fitr and reviewed the tradition.

Locals said that a large number of people come to this area for sightseeing, apart from staying for a couple of nights to enjoy the natural beauty of the region.

Expressing similar views, the representatives of the three border districts said that the recent ceasefire agreement has put an end to the miseries and miseries of the people living in the border areas.

Marriage celebrations return

Earlier people living close to the Line of Control(LOC) in Kashmir have begun to take advantage of peace after several decades of special occasions, overnight neighborhood gatherings and marriage ceremonies.

People living in villages along the LoC are heaving a sigh of relief and expect the “peace resolution” between the two armies to continue and guns across the Line of Control to remain silent. Relevantly, the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan agreed to abide by all ceasefire agreements along the borders in the union territory from the intervening night of February 24 and 25 this year.

Then, residents of the LoC said that there is a relief from peace between the two neighbors as they are under constant fear of exchange of fire and exchange of fire between the Indian and Pakistani armies. They were spending day and night.

Hundred have been killed in border shelling

“People had got used to the untimely ceasefire violations and it became a routine, but the special occasions are now being celebrated almost a decade later without the fear of being hit by shells or bullets,” he said.

It may be recalled that since 1990 hundred have been killed in border shelling in the Kashmir and Jammu region, and scores have been left handicapped forever. Apart from this, in the last 30 years, due to shelling from across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, houses and livestock worth billions of rupees have also been damaged.

A Coffee Shop on LOC

Earlier This year coffee shop has been set up at Aman Setu, the last forward post on Line of Control in the Uri sector of North Kashmir.

“We have opened a coffee shop for all the people visiting the command post for motivational purposes for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After taking selfies on the bridge, people can come and have breakfast and they can take home many souvenirs with them. Also, the sixty-feet national flag hoisting along the LoC is an attraction for tourists,” said Vishal Dev, a Major in the Indian Army.

“After the partition of the two countries, people who were relatives or friends turned away. When the two countries worked on improving relations, all distances were reduced. A coffee shop has been opened and this is to help foster relationships between people and people. Army. The way the army has won the hearts of the people here is commendable,” said Qazi Ahmed, a local resident.

With peace returning to the border areas, people are hoping that trade between the two countries will also resume and it is hoped that people from both sides of the border can meet each other soon.

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