Mughal Gardens open in Srinagar after four months
SRINAGAR: Parks and gardens in the Union territory that had been closed since March amid the Covid-19 crisis were thrown open on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, advisor to the lieutenant governor Baseer Ahmad Khan had said that gardens and parks throughout J&K would be opened to the general public amid the gradual unlocking process.
On the first day, many parks wore a deserted look. However, people thronged to the famous Mughal Gardens on the banks of Dal Lake. Only those with masks were allowed enter the parks. The parks and gardens department had kept sanitisers on the entrance of every park.
“When we came to know that parks and gardens are opening we couldn’t resist ourselves. For the last four months, we stepped out of our house, which had become depressing,” said Shabir Ahmad Pir of Sanatnagar, who had come to the park with his two children.
A young man, Mohammad Akram Khan from the old city, said that government had taken a good decision by opening parks and gardens. “Now, everybody is aware of social distancing norms and we know what to do. Walking around the park is a stress buster.’’
BUSINESSES RESTART
The opening of parks also brought business to kiosks and shop owners outside parks.
“Today is the first day, so few people came. Since it is the peak of summer, these parks will come to life again, which will mean business for us,” said Adul Majid, who was selling masks outside Nishat Park.
However, many people have criticised the government’s decision to open gardens and parks, saying that J&K was close to reaching 10,000 cases.
“The death toll is increasing by the day and cases are increasing by the day. When public transport is still shut what was the need to open parks and gardens?’’ asked Sharifudin, a former floriculture officer.
“At least, they are only allowing people with masks inside the parks,” he said. The J&K government is also planning to open tourist places for the public in the coming days, as per J&K government spokesperson and principal secretary Rohit Kansal.
‘DEFER GUIDELINES’
J&K Apni Party senior leader and former tourism minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir on Wednesday urged the J&K government to defer formulation of new guidelines regulating tourism trade for houseboats in Kashmir till the Covid-19 lockdown was over.
HOTELS IN KULLU, MANALI, KINNAUR TO REMAIN SHUT
SHIMLA:Hoteliers in the tribal district of Kinnaur have unanimously decided to keep all tourism operations closed till the Covid-19 situation improves.
“We have decided to keep tourism activities suspended till the situation normalises,” said Mohan Prakash Negi, president of the Kinnaur Hoteliers’ Association.