Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 12: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today inaugurated the annual three-day Sindhu festival here, extending an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the region – a great seat of Buddhist culture.
“I would like Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Ladakh when he plans his next tour to Jammu and Kashmir,” Sayeed said after inaugurating the festival aimed at attracting tourists to Ladakh.
Describing River Sindh as fountainhead of one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Sayeed asserted that Ladakh’s identity as a great seat of Buddhist culture would be showcased before the world.
“Indus is not a river but a flowing civilization that makes us proud of our glorious and historic past,” he said.
Also known as ‘Singhey Khababs’, the festival is a carnival for tourists, in particular foreigners, who witness the captivating charms of Ladakh.
On his arrival at Leh Airport, the Chief Minister was received by Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), LAHDC, Leh, Rigzen Spalbar.
He was also given a rousing reception at Sindhu Ghat by a huge gathering of people on his first visit here after becoming the Chief Minister.
Describing cultural tourism as the backbone of Ladakh’s economy, he said it provides avenues of employment and business opportunities for local population.
He said he favoured opening of more trading points in Ladakh, as has been done in the case of Sikkim.
Urging not to put tourism at loggerheads with environment, Sayeed described Ladakh as an adventurer’s delight, which offers vistas in mountaineering, trekking and river-rafting.
“The biggest attraction though remains the great Buddhist culture living in its monasteries, which continue to mesmerise visitors from across the country and abroad,” he added.
Leh is scheduled to host Mega Hemis Mela next year in which nearly two lakh visitors from 76 foreign countries are expected to participate.
Calling unprecedented air fares to Leh as “unacceptable”, Sayeed said he would again take up the matter with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.
“We have raised the issue of operating daily flights to Leh from Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu on several occasions. The issue of exorbitant air fares is a matter of serious concern for all of us as it is putting off people from travelling to Ladakh,” he observed, while stressing upon upgrading the facilities at Leh Airport for travellers.
The Chief Minister said he will also take up the issue of opening Leh-Mansarovar Pilgrimage Route with the Centre to bring about rapid economic development of the region.
He also stressed upon bringing about flexibility in procedure for issuance of permits so that tourists are facilitated.
Sayeed highlighted the steps taken to improve tourism-related infrastructure at Leh, which includes laying of golf course and establishment of Trans-Himalayan Cultural Centre and Convention Complex.
Earlier, Sayeed inaugurated a world-class Tourist Information Centre (TIC), which offers a single window for providing information about places and services of visitors’ interest and activities, including issuance of inner-line permits.
Blend of traditional and modernity, the full-digitised TIC takes the tourists through the history of Ladakh by displaying artefacts in a highly-professional manner.
Describing the newly-opened TIC as a model to be replicated at other tourist destinations, the Chief Minister handed over the first e-permits issued to two foreign nationals, Emmanuel of France and Rupert Charles from the United Kingdom.
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