Dam projects can now be considered in J&K too: Omar Abdullah
on Thursday.
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Speaking during his two-day visit to Gujarat, Abdullah emphasised that while the attack impacted the tourism sector initially, the region has witnessed a steady recovery in footfall.
"I am not denying that the Pahalgam terror attack affected our tourism industry. It happened right at the beginning of the peak season, and tourists left overnight," he said. "Srinagar airport, which usually handles 50 to 55 flights a day, saw arrivals drop to just 15.
But now, we're back to about 30 flight arrivals daily. Kashmir is not empty, and we have not come here in despair. We want more people to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
"
Abdullah was in Ahmedabad to attend a tourism promotion event organised by the Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), the apex body of tour operators in the region. He also visited the
during his trip and praised the initiative as a symbol of national pride.
Speaking to the media, Abdullah said that his govt has conducted a comprehensive security audit of all tourist destinations.
"Places where security can be ensured have been reopened, while some remain closed as a precaution," he said.
In Vadodara, Abdullah praised the Sardar Sarovar Dam project for bringing water to drought-affected areas during his visit to the dam in Kevadia.
"This dam brought water to areas that knew nothing but drought. It was J&K's misfortune that we could not even imagine such projects because we were not allowed to stop the water. Now that the Indus Water Treaty is suspended, maybe there will be some such projects in J&K too, so that there will be no shortage of water and electricity," Abdullah said while speaking to mediapersons.
He also visited the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue.
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