Kashmir’s picturesque border villages get new lease of life

In 2023, the Lolab Valley received the Best Offbeat Destination Award, and efforts are underway to develop the Kaman Bridge, also known as the Peace Bridge, into a promising tourist destination on the LoC. (Image: Irfan Amin Malik)

Villages situated along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have started playing host to tourists after almost three decades, heralding an era of peace and economic prosperity. In 2023, government data shows 4.3 lakh tourists visited the breathtaking border villages in the region.

Since midnight of February 24, 2021, when the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC, the J&K government has initiated activities to promote border tourism and the infrastructure in border villages.

The villages located on the Line of Control (LoC) were earlier no-go zones due to frequent skirmishes between the two nuclear-armed rivals. Now they are experiencing not just peace but delightedly hosting tourists after three decades.

In the past two years or so, the influx of both foreign and domestic tourists has increased in villages falling on the LoC.

The Keran sector is located in the Neelum Valley on the banks of the Neelum (Kishanganga) river and is home to diverse communities - Kashmiri, Gujjar, and Bakarwal. The Neelum river flowing through Keran is known as the Kishanganga River from the Indian side of the border and from the Pakistan side it is called Neelum river.

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On the banks of this breathtaking river, people from both countries wave hands at each other and take selfies.

The data shows that the valley’s frontier district, Kupwara alone hosted approximately three lakh tourists while Baramulla’s Uri hosted 70,000, and Bandipora’s Gurez hosted 60,000 tourists.

The increased movement of tourists in border villages has prompted the government to swing into action, and develop the road and power infrastructure in the border areas of Kashmir.

On  January 3, around 1,300 people of Kundiyan and Pathroo villages in the Keran sector of Kupwara district saw electricity for the first time in 75 years.

The village was provided electricity under the Samirdh Seema Yojan (SSY) by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL).

Talking to Moneycontrol, a local resident, Fayaz Ahmad Khan, said that the entire Kundiyan village erupted in joy the moment electricity illuminated the lamps. “Electricity has created a festive atmosphere in Kundiyan village where people greeted it with dance and distributed sweets, ” he said.

Due to frequent cross-border tensions and infiltration, the border areas including Kundiyan and Pathroo could not be electrified during the past 75 years. “I have seen electricity for the first time ever and the people in my village are over the moon. The students who could not study in darkness can take maximum advantage of electricity to make their future bright. The carpenters, mechanics and other technicians whose work relies on electricity can perform and earn well. We are grateful to the government for bringing electricity to our village,” 32-year-old Fayaz added.

For local undergraduate student, Tariq Ahmad Khan, electricity can improve the education of students. “We had never imagined that a day would come when electricity would illuminate our houses. The whole village is experiencing the urban feel to see bulbs illuminating the village. Without electricity students could not study during evening hours. Many students in the village would rely on solar lanterns to study briefly for 2-3 hours. Now electricity can help students to study both in online as well as offline mode,” said Tariq.

Both Fayaz and Tariq see electricity changing the fortunes of the underdeveloped border villages. “Electricity can not only give a boost to the tourism sector here but people would be able to get a proper mobile network on their phones. Electricity can bring mobile network towers here so that both people as well as tourists can make calls and use the internet.”

People appreciated the efforts made by the government to provide electricity and upgraded roads to border areas.

“A few years before, I used to spend sleepless nights due to the roar of guns and bangs of mortar shells but now there is not just peace on LoC but rapid development all across. For example, the government has already constructed and upgraded the road network in the far-off border areas while the work is expected to continue in the summer,” said Tariq.

A senior official told Moneycontrol that developmental activities rapidly took place after peace returned to the border in 2021. “People in Kundiyan and Pathroo villages are jubilant to see electricity for the first time after the country got Independence in 1947. Under SSY the government has started various developmental projects including the opening of Anganwadi centres, health infrastructure and complete electrification of Keran.”

The official added that the inflow of tourists has increased tremendously, fetching the local people a good source of income. “Since major hotels and restaurants are not available in border areas, homestay facilities for tourists have helped the locals earn a livelihood,” he said.

In 2023, the adjoining Lolab Valley received the Best Offbeat Destination Award, and efforts are underway to develop the Kaman Bridge, also known as the Peace Bridge, into a promising tourist destination on the LoC. The government is expecting record-breaking tourist numbers in the border areas of Kashmir this year.