The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has given its nod to the Jammu and Kashmir government for a cable car project in Baisaran in the tourist resort of Pahalgam, the site of the April 22 terror attack. The move assumes significance in the wake of the fact that post terror attack in April this year, tourism has begun to pick up gradually in Kashmir Valley.
Post terror attack in Pahalgam, many key tourist places across Kashmir were banned by the Centre upon feedback from security agencies for their vulnerability to such attacks. Later, as the tourism industry got almost shut and stuck for months, Omar Abdullah led government has been making efforts to get the industry back on rails with revival of certain measures.
In this backdrop, Jammu and Kashmir government had sought approval from the NIA, which is probing the attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-based terrorists.NIA officials said the anti-terror agency was approached for its views on the project by the Union territory administration.
“We were asked about our views (about starting the cable car project) and we conveyed that we do not have any objection from the investigation angle,” an official said.On October 27, in response to an unstarred question by Pahalgam MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the government said the project work has been allotted to a company but it has not begun “in view of the post-Pahalgam scenario”.
The alignment for the 1.4-km project has been identified by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC).“The lower terminal point is located near the Yatri Niwas in Pahalgam and the upper terminal point is located in Baisaran. The total length of the project would be 1.4 km. The… 9.13 Hects (land required) for the project belongs to the Forest Department,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the tourism portfolio, said in a written reply.
The government said the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) has floated tenders for the engagement of a consultant for the preparation of a detailed project report and a tender document for the said project.The tenders have been finalised and the work has been allotted to a qualified agency — Ronmas India Pvt. Ltd.An agreement has been signed between the JKCCC and the executing agency. However, the agency could not carry out its assignment in view of the post-Pahalgam scenario, the CM said. According to the department, the project is estimated to cost Rs 100-120 crore and the work shall be completed within the shortest possible time of 18 months.
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