Leh, May 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said construction of tunnel at Zojilla will further boost the tourism sector in Ladakh region, where more than two lakh tourists are visiting every year.
Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of Zojila tunnel from Leh, the Prime Minister said the people of the Kashmir valley and Jammu region will have to learn from Ladakh who are making all efforts to promote tourism in the region which remained cut off for six to seven months during winter.
Despite all difficulties because of road connectivity, over two lakh tourists, including foreigners, are visiting Ladakh region every year despite only five to six month season, Mr Modi said, adding the number will increase once the tunnel is constructed and Srinagar-Leh national highway become all weather road.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Mr Modi, had approved the construction, operation and maintenance of this 2-lane bi-directional tunnel with Parallel Escape (Egress) tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg on the Srinagar-Leh section of NH-1A at a total cost of Rs 6,800 crore earlier this year.
The construction of this tunnel will provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.
Similarly, Kargil district is also now getting its share as about 40,000 tourists are visiting there. The number will increase many fold once the tunnel is constructed, he said.
He said people of Leh have now introduced home-stay accommodation for tourists which has become
popular. I was told that people in Leh are accommodating tourists in their homes to provide them an opportunity to learn about food and other traditions of Leh. This, he said, has become very popular as I was told.
He said, 'Ladakh is becoming very popular tourist destination for foreigners and domestic tourists. I was informed that about 2,000 tourists are arriving Leh daily by air,' he said, adding this will definitely increase the income of people of the region.
Without mentioning unrest in the valley which had badly affected tourist arrival, Mr Modi said people of Kashmir and Jammu will have to learn from the people of Ladakh.
He also referred to Sindhu Mela and other festivals of Ladakh and said this will further tourist arrival in the region. UNI
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