One year after Pahalgam attack, Kashmir reopens 39 tourist spots under heavy guard

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like After the Pahalgam terror attack, where terrorists gunned down 26 people, the government shut down 48 tourist spots. Today, 39 of them have been opened. HT does a spot check. Pahalgam's Baisaran valley was attacked on April 22 last year. (AFP/Representational)Baisaran, Pahalgam: ClosedOn a dirt trek leading to the picturesque Baisaran Valley, a CRPF officer from Kanyakumari urges a group of six young tourists not to venture beyond a certain point. Last year, when heavily armed terrorists targeted tourists in the valley, there was no security presence, and it took over 25 minutes for forces to arrive. Now, the 5km road from main Pahalgam town to meadow is heavily guarded with over a dozen CRPF and police personnel round-the-clock. Security teams are also stationed inside the valley, keeping a close watch to prevent tourists from approaching the meadow. Also Read | ‘We have been through hell’: Pahalgam attack victims' families mourn loss a year after tragedy “It’s closed for everyone. Tourists and locals. Our job is that nobody should go close to Baisaran unless it’s officially thrown open,” said an official from Pahalgam police station. “The Army is regularly patrolling dense forests surrounding Baisaran Valley and other parts of Pahalgam. Our day begins at 7am and ends late in the evening. After the attack it has been our routine,” the official added. Hundreds of tourists take horse rides from Pahalgam Valley till the Baisaran road and many insist on ferrying them to the Valley. “We heard about Baisaran soon after the attack. Now we want to go there. We aren’t scared as security forces are everywhere,” said Ankush Sharma, who was accompanying five friends. However, he was not allowed to enter the Valley. Pahalgam town has shaken off the initial shock. Hotels and shops are open again. “We didn’t feel any fear here. We are enjoying it and will stay for a night,” said Ramesh Babu, a tourist from Tamil Nadu. A municipal official said the collections from the entry toll to Pahalgam has tripled since first week of March. Mushtaq Ahmad Pahalgami, who heads the Hotel Association of Pahalgam, agreed that tourism was slowly picking up. “Nobody came here for months. Now we have 30 to 40% tourists back,” he said. The pony operators say work has picked up. “From autumn, tourists began to return. Hundreds are now visiting everyday,” said Gul Mohammad, who owns three horses. With 1.8 million tulip bulbs in bloom, the March 16 opening of the garden, which is Asia’s largest, on the foothills of Zabarwan mountain range and overlooking the serene Dal lake, marks the arrival of spring in Kashmir. This is Ravi Kumar’s first trip to the Valley. “Owing to the Pahalgam attack, there were some concerns but then there was a lot of positive feedback online including the response of people and the news about security measures. We decided to give it a try,” said Kumar, a small-time business man from Uttrakhand. “And we didn’t regret it. This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen,” he said. Also Read | A year since Pahalgam attack: Shubham Dwivedi's widow Aishanya says ‘Not afraid to name Pakistan spreader of terrorism’ Around 252,000 visitors have visited Tulip Garden since March 16. “After the attack, the garden had become empty and remained so last year. Despite Pahalgam, the people have shown good response this year,” said Imran Ahmad, the man in charge of Tulip Garden, from the floriculture department. “The garden typically is open for a month as the average life of a tulip flower is 20 days,” Ahmad added. But an added feature this year is the security. At least 20 personnel patrolled the three gates of the garden, which has been closed now as the tulips have withered. Ahmad said the security measures were very strong. “There is military intelligence, BSF, CRPF and Police. Many security personnel are roaming the garden in civvies to keep the visitors safe,” he said. Overall 40-50 personnel right from the approach road on Boulevard to the parking and then to the garden stood on guard. The Sindh river bisects the lush green meadows that make up Sonmarg, encircled by snow-clad peaks. After the Pahalgam terror attack, tourist arrivals had dwindled to a trickle, but now hundreds are flocking to this hill station after the Z-Morh tunnel was opened in January 2025. Pony operators guide tourists daily to the nearby Thajiwas glacier via a 5-km trek to a spot where two to three feet of snow blankets the ground. Also Read | Pahalgam targeted hope, tested India’s resilience “Back home, ACs and fans are running round non stop and here I am wearing woollen jackets,” said Amit Sircar from Kolkata. “We aren’t afraid, we have full faith in our country’s security.” Police, CRPF, the Army’s RR unit is deployed at Sonmarg and Thajwas glacier. Around two dozen CRPF personnel and policemen keep a watch on the movement of tourists at Thajwas glacier and remain there till all the tourists leave the place. “...there is foolproof security not only at Sonmarg but all the adjoining forests and main highway are well protected...” said a senior police officer. Sanjita, a software engineer from Madhya Pradesh said, “This is our first time here. We have been planning for years and finally we are here. We have already visited Pahalgam and Gulmarg and now will spend a night here.” At the corner of the market at a makeshift kiosk, Fayaz Ahmad, who lives at neighbouring Gund village, rents rubber boots to the tourists. “Since the morning, I have already rented 60 to 70 shoes. For the past one month earnings have been good,” he said. To be sure, hotel occupancy is still low. “We have 40 percent occupancy,” said Musaib Ahmad, manager of Namro Hotel. Badamwari, or the almond garden, was among the first batch of tourist places opened in June 2025. Situated on foothills of Koh-e-Maran hill overlooking Srinagar, the garden is dotted with almond trees which have bloomed early this year. “A lot of people, mostly locals and some from other states, would come before the Pahalgam incident. Then the footfall stopped completely as. Now people have returned. There are a lot of security bandobast this year,” said Zahoor Ahmad, a floriculture employee posted in the garden. “We have to inform the police everyday about any international visitors and also the number of domestic tourists,” he said. The garden is now highly fortified with three-four security vehicles dotting the approach road and dozens of police and CRPF personnel surrounding the place. At least 10 security personnel patrol the approach road, with a similar number of personnel on the back side, from 9 am to 7 pm. A security official deployed outside the garden said that the personnel were guarding people from inside as well as outside the place. “We can’t take things for granted and have been asked to remain vigilant,” he said. A tourist from Mumbai had come to Badamwari after he saw some pictures on Instagram. “This is my second time visiting Kashmir and I am coming to Badamwari for the first time. But unfortunately the almond bloom has ended. Nevertheless this is a very calm, serene and beautiful place to visit,” said Sachin, who had also come in 2017. Director of floriculture, Mathoora Masoom, said that footfall was good this year. “From 18000 visitors in March last year, we witnessed more than 100% percent to record some 40,000 arrivals this March,” she said. Amid dense forests and next to the shimmering water of the Ferozpura stream is the charming village of Drang, close to the renowned ski resort of Gulmarg. Tourists are now returning to Drang, but the landscape has changed since their last visit. A bulletproof bunker now stands at the edge of the tourist spot, near a small village with 200-250 houses. From Tangmarg to Drang, at least five teams each comprising four to five personnel both police and the CRPF are guarding the road, the gateway to this picturesque destination. Even the 13 kilometre road from Tangmarg to Gulmarg has five checking points established in the neighbourhood. Besides that, the stretch has a regular deployment of Road Opening Party which remain there from morning till evening. “We haven’t seen a spot this beautiful. This place really is like paradise,” said Pawan Jadhav and his wife Astha, both residents of Karnataka. At least six cases were lodged against those who concealed information of foreign visitors across Kashmir under the foreigners and immigration Act 2025, police said. “Everyday a lot of intelligence sharing and reviews are being done for the security of tourist destinations,” a senior police officer said.