Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 20

National Conference Member of Parliament Mian Altaf Ahmad on Saturday welcomed the administration’s decision to reopen the Naranag tourist destination in central Kashmir’s Kangan area, saying the move would provide a significant boost to tourism and livelihoods in the region.

The announcement came hours after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said Naranag would be reopened for visitors following a security review.

In a statement, Altaf described the decision as a positive step and said the destination had long been popular among trekkers, campers and tourists seeking alternatives to more crowded locations.

“Naranag is not merely a tourist destination but a source of livelihood for hundreds of families,” Altaf said, adding that pony operators, shopkeepers, tourist guides and homestay owners in Kangan and adjoining villages depended heavily on visitor inflows.

He thanked the Lieutenant Governor and the administration for restoring access to the area, expressing hope that the reopening would help revive economic activity during the peak summer tourism season.

The destination, which includes the historic Naranag temple complex and serves as a gateway to several high-altitude trekking routes, remained closed for more than a year following security restrictions imposed after the Pahalgam terror attack.