'Need To Get Up From Slumber Now': Jammu & Kashmir High Court Pulls Up Govt For Failure To Promote Tourism [Read Order]

"It cannot be denied that tourism in Jammu & Kashmir is one of the major employment/revenue generator but our closed mind has failed us in exploiting this source to the optimum." The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday pulled up the Tourism Department of the Union Territory for its failure to attract tourists due to non-application of its mind. The Bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal rapped the authorities for "keep everything close to its chest" and not disclosing information about the tourism and adventure sports facilities available in Jammu & Kashmir. "We all know the reach of social media. Days of hard copies of brochures are gone. Prospective tourists visit websites, especially the government websites, as these provide authentic information but we have failed. Again question if of mindset. Why we want to keep everything close to our chest? We are not playing card game. Let the people all around know about the tourism and adventure sports facilities available in Jammu & Kashmir and show them that its really a 'Paradise on Earth' but one has 'to visit, see and feel to believe'. Or the idea is to create facilities not for promoting tourism but to keep it to ourselves and let the projects fail because of lesser foot fall," the Bench sternly remarked. The High Court emphasized that the Union Territory now has cable car/rope way projects, but no information regarding the same is available on the Government's Tourism website. "Less said the better even about the website of the J&K Tourism Department," the Bench exclaimed. Now the Court has directed thus: Tourism Department will make an extensive exercise to update the information on its website about various tourist destinations and other facilities available and also use other social media platforms to promote tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. Option for making bookings online for the cable car/ ropeway should be made available. The J&K Tourism Development Corporation should make such facilities available on its website, making it quite feasible and less challenging for the potential tourists for making arrangements. State Government should make an effort to have an integrated portal providing all tourism related information and for online booking for all the facilities available in the Jammu & Kashmir for the potential tourists such as Hotels/ House Boats/ Huts, Adventure Sports, Cable Car/Ropeway, Travel, Cuisines etc. and such other attractions to promote the tourism activities in the State. Tourists also need to be guided regarding best weather to visit any particular area. One needs to keep in mind about growth of religious tourism also, hence, provide detailed information regarding that with proper guidance and package tours from Jammu or Srinagar. "Secretary, Tourism, Law Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir and Managing Director of J&K Tourism Corporation to sit together and plan a common strategy and platform to promote tourism in Jammu & Kashmir instead of sitting in offices and remain busy in Durbar moves only, and spend time to find out accommodation for its staff at Jammu and Srinagar." The observations were made by the High Court while considering a writ petition filed by Sagar Ratna, seeking grant of license for running restaurants at three terminals of Jammu Ropeway Project. The case primarily concerns failure of a Government Corporation in completing/ promoting a project, which would be a massive attraction for tourists. During hearing of the matter, the Court noted that even though the project was proposed in the year 1995 however, "We are twenty five years down the line. The work started only in the year 2016 and still the same is not complete though it was to be completed in about thirty months. Apparently there are no checks and review of the working of the officers. One needs to examine as to how much was the increase in the cost of project because of delays. The Ropeway Project became operational on July 27, 2020, however, till date, the restaurants at three stations, which could generate income not only for the Corporation but even for the Government as well in the form of GST, could not be allotted. This puts a serious question mark on the seriousness and capability of the officers 7 OWP 603/2019 concerned in planning and executing the project." The Court noted that the J&K State Cable Car Corporation had issued five tenders inviting bids for establishment of restaurants at the Ropeway Project, but in vain. This, the Court said, was apparently because the project was not complete when the tenders were repeatedly issued, that too with the same terms and conditions. As a result, none or few had shown interest to participate. "Drafting of a tender document with reference to the terms and conditions and the time when it should be issued, is certainly the work of experts in the field. Failure of the Corporation in not...

'Need To Get Up From Slumber Now': Jammu & Kashmir High Court Pulls Up Govt For Failure To Promote Tourism [Read Order]

Akshita Saxena

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