Baisaran open all year round, no curbs usually

At an all-party meeting in Delhi, officials told lawmakers on Thursday that the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam town in Kashmir was not scheduled to be open to tourists till June , explaining that this was the reason for the absence of police and paramilitary presence at the site where 26 people were gunned down by terrorists earlier this week.

They also said all tour operators, guides and hoteliers were given strict instructions to keep the local police informed about the movement of tourists, but did not do so.

But on Friday, tour operators, tourists, pony riders and local officials in Pahalgam said that the vast grassland spread over two miles is open throughout the year, and usually, no police nod is sought for tourists to walk (or take a pony) up the roughly 6 km stretch .

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“For 20 years, I have been taking tourists up to the meadow. I have never required any permission from police or security forces. Now this place is visited by tourists even during winter,” said Waheed Ahmad, president of the local pony riders association.

HT reported on Thursday that the dirt track between Pahalgam town market and the Baisaran meadow was not guarded by armed personnel and the closest thing to security were four unarmed guards from a cadre affiliated to the Jammu and Kashmir police. The nearest security force camp which houses the Central Reserve Police Force is almost five kilometers away.

“Almost 70% of tourists who come to Pahalgam visit Baisaran as this is a very beautiful place. No permission was ever required from administration or police to visit this place,” said Sheikh Mohammad Sultan, senior tour operator and President of the Indian Association of Travel & Tourism Experts, Kashmir chapter.

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The meadow is open throughout the year, said Sabzar Ahmad, manger of Hotel Paradise. “Only if it snows or during heavy rains, tourists do not go due to the slippery trek. Otherwise, the meadow is always open for tourists. Our tourist guests visited Baisaran during winters as well,” he said.

Parvan Singh, a resident of Ludhiana in Punjab, said that he visited Baisaran along with four of his friends in January. “I went there along with my friends. It’s a really beautiful place. We stayed in Pahalgam for two days and visited Aru Valley, Chandanwari and Baisaran.”

There are several trekking routes in Pahalgam such as Tulian lake, Kolahoi Glacier Trek, Sheshnag Lake and Tarsar Marsar. Before trekking, tourists have to seek permission from the police. However, for famous destinations such as Aru Valley, Betab Valley, Chandanwari and Baisaran meadow, no permission is required, said Gulzar Ahmad, secretary of the Pahalgam taxi operator union.

A senior tourism officer in Pahalgam on condition of anonymity said that Baisaran meadow remains open for all the months for tourists. “This is a destination where ever tourist wants to spend time. It remains open for tourists and there are no security protocols or permissions required for tourists to follow once they go to that place. Even infrastructure has been developed by department and more projects are in pipeline for Baisaran tourism,” he said.