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Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Dec 24: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the Government would take up the issue of opening the Turtuk in Ladakh region to Khapaloo in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) route so that people could meet their relatives living across the Line of Control (LoC).
Mufti, who announced setting up of a Tourism Development Authority for Nubra valley, said Rs 17 crore are being spent on the tourism development in the area.
Addressing a public meeting here after inaugurating a bridge in nearby Thang village, Ms Mufti, who is on her maiden visit to Ladakh region after becoming Chief Minister of the State, said Nature has bestowed Nubra-Turtuk valley with immense tourism potential and need of the hour is to exploit this potential to the optimum.
She said the Government has already started various tourism development projects in the Nubra valley and with the setting up of the authority these projects would get a focused attention. Ms Mufti said a Cultural institute would be set up at Turtuk for the promotion and preservation of local culture, music and language.
Similarly, she said an interpretation centre would be set up for the information and guidance of the tourists visiting the area. Also wayside facilities and residential accommodation for tourists besides upgradation of infrastructure would be undertaken, she said.
The Chief Minister said she is personally aware of the problems of the people of the area, more so on account of connectivity, and efforts would be made to redress them. She said survey on Turtuk-Haanu road would be conducted and once constructed the road would minimize the distance between Nubra and Kashmir valley considerably.
She said the case of opening of Turtuk-Khapaloo route would be taken up to let the people of the area meet their relatives living across the LoC as has previously been done in case of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes.
Responding to the local demands, she said adequate manpower and stock of medicine would be made available at the Public Health Centre, Turtuk. She said she would ask the CAPD Department to open up a Fair Price Shop in the area for the benefit of people. She said other issues raised by the people would also be addressed.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated an 80-metre-long bridge at Kharpon-Thang over Shouq river. Built over a cost of Rs seven crore, the bridge would connect Thang village with Leh district and consequentially with rest of the State.
Meanwhile, several deputations met the Chief Minister and apprised her of their problems.
The deputationists sought intervention of the Chief Minister in redressal of their problems and grievances.
The deputations which met the Chief Minister included representatives of various political parties, ISM doctors, dental surgeons, Anjuman-i-Imamia and other social organizations.
The Chief Minister listened to their demands and grievances and assured the deputationists to look into them.
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