Visitor footfall, snow longevity among other factors to be considered for sites’ finalization
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: Buoyed by the increased tourist footfall in the region, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has initiated the process to assess the feasibility of skiing at seven new tourist destinations-four in Kashmir and three in the Jammu region.
As per official data, a record 2.95 million tourists visited the Union Territory in the year 2024, up from 2.71 million visitors in 2023, and 2.67 million in the preceding year (2022).
Official sources told the EXCELSIOR that the new tourist destinations where the scope of skiing is being assessed in Kashmir region are Sonamarg in Ganderbal District, Doodhpathri and Tosamaidan in Budgam District, and Bangus in Kupwara District whereas in Jammu, these destinations are Sarthal in Kathua District, Sanasar-Patnitop in Ramban District and Bhaderwah in Doda District.
They said the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) has been nominated as the Nodal Agency by the Tourism Ministry of the Jammu and Kashmir Government for the identification of the new skiing sites and preparation of a feasibility report for these sites.
Syed Qamar Sajjad, MD, Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC), told the Excelsior, “For this purpose (assessing feasibility of skiing at new destinations), we have floated the tenders in order to take the services of the interested consultancy firm(s).”
“The qualified bidders will be tasked with carrying out the inspection of all the new sites and conduct an assessment of skiing, considering various factors, like tourist footfall in the particular area, duration of snowfall in that area, snow longevity, slope of the particular area, among other factors,” he said.
“Thereafter,” Sajjad said, “The evaluated sites will be approved by the Board of Directors (BoDs) for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for installation of ski drag lifts/chair lifts and preparation of ski slopes besides other infrastructure for the new ski destinations in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Currently, only Gulmarg in Kashmir offers the skiing option whereas drag lifts are installed at Doodhpathri, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam, among other places in Kashmir region.
In Jammu region, the only drag lift installed at Padri area of Bhaderwah in Doda District remains non-functional for most parts of the winters due to lack of proper connectivity to the area. With the improvement of the connectivity, the footfall of the skiing enthusiasts to this area will also see manifolds increase.
Pertinently, a “drag lift” is a basic ski lift where skiers hold onto a moving cable to be pulled up the slope, typically used on beginner runs, while a “ski lift” can refer to any mechanism used to transport skiers uphill, including chairlifts, gondolas, and drag lifts.
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