After a long time, Indian administered Kashmir is witnessing unprecedented rush of tourists with hotels and resorts flooded with visitors. Over 150,000 tourists have visited Kashmir in last two months alone. The authorities are expecting the figure to pick up during winter season.
According to tourism officials, so far over one million tourists have visited Kashmir this year.
With United Kingdom having lifted the two-decade old advisory for its nationals against travel to this disputed Himalayan region, people involved in tourism industry are expecting a good winter season ahead.
Despite the massive influx of tourists, the situation on ground continues to remain fragile. Kashmir's top pro-independence leader Syed Ali Geelani recently threatened to launch a statewide agitation over government's proposal to build a concrete road to a Hindu cave shrine, which is flocked by half a million each year.
Pertinently, a massive public uprising had crippled normal life in Kashmir in 2008 when tourism industry was witnessing boom time. The pro-independence leaders had alleged that the authorities had allotted a portion of land to the Hindu shrine.
However, this time around, the authorities are taking no chances. They have restricted the activities of pro-freedom leaders to foil their agitation plan.
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