Tourism potential of scenic Nubra Valley to be tapped

Pushing for development of the pictureseqe Nubra Valley, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has announced setting up of a Tourism Development Authority and said Rs 17 crore will be spent to develop the area.
The Chief Minister said Nubra-Turtuk Valley has immense tourism potential and the need of the hour is to exploit this to the optimum.
Addressing a public meeting here after inaugurating a bridge in neaby Thang Valley yesterday, she said the Government has already started various tourism development projects in Nubra valley and with the setting up of the authority these projects would get a focused attention.
A cultural institute would be set up at Turtuk for the promotion and preservation of local culture, music and language.

Similarly, an interpretation centre would be set up for the information and guidance of tourists visiting the area, she said.
Also wayside facilities and residential accommodation for tourists besides upgradation of infrastructure would be undertaken, she said.

The chief minister said she was personally aware of the problems of the people of the area, more so on account of connectivity, and efforts would be made to redress them.
She said survey on Turtuk-Haanu road would be conducted and once constructed, the road would reduce the distance between Nubra and Kashmir Valley considerably.
The opening of Turtuk-Khapaloo route would be taken up to help people of the area meet their relatives living across the LoC as has previously been done in case of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes.

Responding to the demands of locals, Mufti said adequate manpower and stock of medicine would be made available at the Public Health Centre, Turtuk.
The chief minister said she would ask the CAPD Department to open up a fair price shop in the area for the benefit of people. She said other issues raised by the people would also be addressed.
Chairman, Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, Minister for Cooperatives & Ladakh Affairs, T. Dorjey; Chairman, LAHDC, Leh, Dr. Sonam Dawa, Executive Councilors, MLA, Anjum Fazili, Secretary Tourism, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Leh, P. Ramaswamy and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated an 80 metre-long bridge at Kharpon-Thang over Shouq river.
Built at a cost of Rs seven crore, the bridge would connect Thang village with Leh district and consequentially with the rest of the state.