Under Modi, J&K will soon be among top 50 destinations in world: Union minister Jitendra Singh

Chenab bridge, which is the world’s highest railway bridge, and Chenani-Nashri tunnel, which is India’s longest highway tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, are turning out to be major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday. He was addressing the G20 delegates on the second day of the third tourism working group meeting at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC ) in Srinagar.

The Chenab bridge is located at Kovri in Reasi district of Jammu. The bridge, higher than the Eiffel Tower, will be thrown open for traffic by early next year. The engineering marvel will connect Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.

Singh maintained that the five priorities in the third tourism working group constitute the key building blocks for accelerating the transition of the tourism sector and achieving the United Nations’ sustainable development goals by 2030.

He said the theme of India’s G20 Presidency—'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'—is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad.

The meeting was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Singh in the presence of minister Singh, Union Minister for Tourism G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhat. At least 60 delegates from G20 countries and nine non-G20 guest countries arrived in Srinagar on Monday to attend the event.

Jitendra Singh said under India’s G20 presidency, the G20 tourism working group is focusing on five inter-connected priority areas that will provide a roadmap for tourism as a tool for achieving sustainable development goals. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir will soon find its place in the top 50 destinations in the world and that it will be on the travel bucket list of global travellers.

He said after a long pause of almost four decades, J&K has revived its relationship with Bollywood and launched a film policy in 2021 to attract more investment and make Jammu Kashmir the most popular film shooting destination.

“It is poetry. It is a land of realisation. It is an energy field vibrating with ageless Indian cultural values,’’ he said. “Tourism in Jammu Kashmir is also a reflection of the multi-religious and multi-cultural ethos of India.”

Reddy said the ministry of tourism is keen to work with G20 nations to promote sustainable tourism in India and around the world.

“Significant progress has been made in the five key priority areas under the third tourism working group meeting, namely green tourism, digitalisation, skills, MSMEs and destination management,’’ he said. “These priorities are key building blocks for accelerating the transition of the tourism sector and achieving the targets for 2030.”

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said commendable progress has been made in the five key priority areas. “Tourism is a major driver of growth, a major driver of job creation,’’ he added.

The G20 meeting in Srinagar is being held under tight security. Army, J&K Police, CRPF, NSG and MARCOS (marine commandos) have been deployed around SKICC and in Srinagar to thwart any attempts by militants to disrupt the G20 event. As a precaution, several schools in Srinagar have been shut and traffic on the route leading to SKICC has been halted.

The delegates are staying in two five-star hotels overlooking the Dal Lake in Srinagar.

On Monday, the delegates enjoyed a shikara ride in Dal lake after the end of day one of the three-day meeting.

China and some Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt have stayed away from the meet. Egypt is not a G20 member but was part of the nine countries invited as guests by India as part of the country’s outreach to African countries, including Nigeria.

The fourth meeting of the tourism working group under India’s presidency will be held in Goa which will be followed by tourism ministers meeting of G20 countries to adopt the Goa declaration.

The first two meetings of the tourism working group were held in Run of Kutch in Gujarat and Siliguri in West Bengal. By holding the meeting in Srinagar, India has sent a message to the world about Kashmir. The meeting assumes significance in view of the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir lost its limited autonomy and statehood and was split into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Both China and Pakistan have opposed the move and urged India to restore the pre-the original status of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed before the reading down of Article 370.