Security raised across tourist hot spots in Jammu & Kashmir
A day after the Union Home Secretary, Govind Mohan, directed the security agencies to beef up security measures of all the tourist hot spots, the Jammu and Kashmir police have initiated a fresh security audit to prevent a repeat of the Pahalgam-like terror attack in the region.
Ahead of the peak tourist season, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had ordered the immediate reopening of 14 major tourist destinations in February 2026.
The decision was taken after a comprehensive security review and discussion with various security agencies.
The tourist spots were closed down as precautionary measures in the aftermath of the horrific killing of 26 civilians, 25 of whom were tourists, on April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam.
Meanwhile, chairing a high-level security review meeting via video conferencing, the Union Home Secretary on Monday reviewed the overall security situation in the Union Territory with a specific focus on the fresh audit of the tourist hot spots in the wake of a surge in tourist footfalls.
So far, around one lakh tourists have visited Asia’s largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar, and the numbers are expected to increase as the garden is in full bloom.
This year, around 18 lakh tulips of over 70 varieties, along with nearly one lakh other bulbous flowers including daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus, have been planted, adding vibrant colours to the valley’s spring landscape.
Jammu region is also witnessing a rush of pilgrims headed to the Katra base camp to perform darshan inside the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi. An average of 30,000 pilgrims are reaching Katra via different routes amid tight security arrangements.
In Srinagar, Director Floriculture Kashmir Mathoora Masoom, on Tuesday, said that the Tulip Garden has witnessed a steady increase in visitor footfall since it was opened to the public on March 16.
“Both local visitors and tourists from outside are coming in large numbers. Many people try to enter the garden even during evening hours, though it remains open during fixed timings and the ticket counter closes accordingly,” she said.
Around 10,000 to 12,000 visitors are arriving on normal days, compared to 7,000–7,500 on the opening day, showing a steady upward trend.
“So far, over 75,000 visitors have already visited the Tulip Garden in just about a week. We expect the footfall to increase further in the coming days as the bloom reaches its peak,” she said.
