2021 ceasefire gives impetus to border tourism in villages close to LoC

Border areas like Keeran, Machil, Bangus, Tanghdar, Gurez, and Uri along the LoC in north Kashmir are new tourist destinations

With guns and cannons falling silent along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir after February 2021 ceasefire agreement between Indo-Pak armies, border tourism is picking up in the areas, which were otherwise out of bounds for the visitors.

For border residents, who had seen loss of lives and destruction of property during the hostilities between the two armies, the ceasefire has given them reason to believe that life is beautiful in the absence of war.

Border areas like Keeran, Machil, Bangus, Tanghdar, Gurez, and Uri along the LoC in north Kashmir, which once were infiltration corridors for terrorists, are new tourist destinations which have been added to the list by the tourism department.

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“After the ceasefire there has been a sense of security among the residents living along the LoC. This has paved the way for development and tourists have started to venture in areas close to the LoC igniting hopes among the local populace,” Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Uri told DH.

He said there is no fear in taking a stroll in the evening while school children, who in absence of peace could not afford to step outside the four walls of the school building, are even attending classes in the open air.

In Bungus valley of neighbouring Kupwara district, beginning of the adventure tourism activities at Tee Pee woods has generated hope of employment among the local youth. Drangyari village, 140 kms from Srinagar, in Bungus valley, was a no go zone till 2021. But now it is seeing a new dawn with locals setting up 12 home-stay rooms to facilitate visitors.

The village is placed at a strategically important place in the lap of higher ranges of the Shamsbari mountains close to the LoC. After significant improvement along the LoC, authorities have allowed the movement of locals and tourists to such virgin destinations.

An official said a project at a cost of Rs two crore has been finalized at Drangyari for tourism promotion. “The project includes Zipline, Suspension Bridge, ATVs, Snowmobiles, Paddle Porting, Paddle Boats, Ice Skating, and Skiing,” he said and added local unemployed youth have been roped in to help them earn a living and boost the tourism potential of virgin place.

The village is now likely to host not only domestic adventure tourists, but foreigners as well. The youth of the area after witnessing sustainable peace following the ceasefire agreement are now highlighting the region’s tremendous potential of emerging as a border tourism destination.

Muhammad Aslam, a resident of the area while advocating for exploring the region as a border tourist destination said, “In the past we only saw deaths and destruction. However, now we want to show the outside world that there is more to offer in border areas than showing people as victims of hostility between the two nuclear-armed countries.”