National Conference leader and MLA Uri Dr Sajad Shafi Tuesday said the government must hand over the defunct Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre to local stakeholders for promotion of tourism.
Talking to Greater Kashmir outside the Legislative Assembly, Dr Sajad Shafi said the infrastructure at Salamabad has been lying unused since LoC trade was suspended several years ago.
“I requested the Chief Minister to hand over the tourism (facility) to us so that we can utilise it. Our local people can benefit from it,” he said.
The MLA said the trade centre was a source of livelihood for many local families before its closure.
“When the Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre was there, many people got employment. Now they are unemployed. When the tourism facilitation centre will be back, unemployment among the youth will be reduced,” Dr Shafi said.
He said a road being built from Gulmarg by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will touch Uri, opening new tourism circuits in the region.
“We are building a road from Gulmarg which will touch Uri. Tourists will come to Gulmarg. Beyond that, there are beautiful places — they will see our Pandu Temple, Chhatti Padshahi, Baba Rangi Imam, Baba Kazi Nag, Baba Fareed,” he added.
“People are tired of seeing Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Yusmarg, Sonmarg. They must come and explore Uri,” he added.
MLA Dr Sajad Shafi said Uri has two hydroelectric projects, one built by Sweden, which remained functional even during the 2005 earthquake as they are fully underground.
“From a security point of view, it is a border area. Operation Sindoor took place. There were many conflicts. Nothing happened to those powerhouses. That is also something to look at. I want Uri to be brought to the tourism map in a new way,” he said.
MLA Uri further said that the rare Markhor species is found only at the Limber Wildlife Centre in Lashipura. “I want to give a huge boost to tourism,” he said.
