SRINAGAR: Authorities have identified several government complexes and buildings that could be used for tourism purposes under the Master Plan 2035 of Srinagar Metropolitan Region (SMR).
According to the approved report of Srinagar Metropolitan Region (SMR) 2035, the estimated tourist population calculated by the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2035 is expected to be seven million.
The documents reads, “It is assumed that around 50 percent of the tourist population will be visiting Srinagar in peak months during summer which implies an average of 28,000 tourists per day by the year 2035”.
The master plan reads, “Assuming the average two days stay at Srinagar, the city will require about 56,000 beds per day by the year 2035. Presently, the existing bed supply of Srinagar city is 42,875 implying that 13,000 additional beds will be required to cater for the tourist demand by 2035.”
“Mushroom growth of hotels and guest houses which as per the government compromises the quality of tourist accommodation has drastically spoiled the aesthetics and urban design of the city, it reads.
In this regard, the Master Plan proposes to align the tourist infrastructure by creating tourist clusters and tourist circuits for tourism infrastructure and further integrating the growth of individual hotels or guesthouses with road hierarchy, functional nodes (Airport, Railway stations, bus terminals etc as envisaged in the Land-use Plan) and potential mixed land use zones.
“Based on comprehensive suitability and potentials, new sites have been identified in different tourism zones for the development of tourist accommodation in Srinagar Local Area. Besides, office complexes/buildings are identified for cessation of their existing functions so that they are put to some more subtle and compatible use preferably on PPP mode as provided earlier in this report for the economic revitalization and improved the capital base of local authorities”, the master plan reads.
Further, as per the master plan, new diverse potential sites have been identified for expansion and diversification of tourism activities using the potential index based on the existing tourist products.
“The new tourism products on the basis of the potential index include Eco-Tourism sites, Agri-Tourism, Cultural and Heritage Tourism, Ancient Site, Adventure Tourism and other tourism activities, it reads—(KNO)
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