After a slow start to the season, tourism footfall has picked up suddenly in Bhadarwah area of Doda district in J&K’s Chenab valley with more than 2.1 lakh tourists visiting alone Padri meadow here during last 20 days.
The sudden rise in numbers has brought cheer to the localtourism players as well as Bhadarwah Development Authority (BDA).
Those associated with tourism and had put huge stakes in theindustry, were apprehending huge losses as in the otherwise peak season whichstarts from middle of May, picturesque Valley received hardly any visitors fromMay 15 to June 10.
The communal tension in the month of May that was followedby weeklong curfew from 16th of the month resulted in very low turnout of thevisitors almost till middle of June, but the sudden unprecedented rush ofvisitors in last 20 days especially in high altitude meadows have calmed thenerves of tourist players.
As the other parts of country are sweltering under severheat wave and humidity, Bhadarwah has become a favourite among the tourists asthousands from different parts of the country converge everyday here to enjoythe picturesque beauty and pleasant cool weather of high altitude green meadowsand glaciers.
The high altitude meadows of Bhadarwah valley especiallyPadri Dhar and small glaciers located enroute Bhadarwah – Chamba Road thesedays are abuzz and over crowded with visitors, as in last 20 days a staggering2.1 lakh tourists visited Padri meadowalone adjoining Ashapati glacier.