Srinagar – Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday shared scenes of a revived Pahalgam, noting that the famous hill station is once again bustling with visitors just two months after a deadly terror attack brought the region’s tourism to a standstill.
Posting photos of crowded streets and picnickers braving the rainy weather, Abdullah wrote on X, “The last time I was in Pahalgam I cycled through a market that was all but deserted. Today I came back to a Pahalgam that was bustling with activity. Tourists from various parts of the country competed for space with local picnickers who were enjoying the cool climate & rainy weather.”
Tourist footfall had dropped sharply after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. However, local residents credit the recent launch of Kashmir’s first Vande Bharat Express for helping restore confidence and attracting visitors back.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat service on June 6, connecting Jammu’s Katra with Srinagar via the completed Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, offering faster and more comfortable travel to Kashmir.
“It’s very satisfying to see the efforts my colleagues & I have been putting in slowly bearing fruit,” Abdullah said, referring to a series of steps his government has taken to revive tourism.
Since June 14, parks and other attractions closed after the attack have been gradually reopened. According to locals, this reopening, combined with the new train service, has encouraged tourists to return in increasing numbers.
