Border tourism in Samba: A boon for local communities

New Delhi, Oct 13: The border tourism initiative of the Jammu and Kashmir Administration and Tourism Department has brought significant changes in the ground situation after the implementation of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan a few years ago.

Jammu and Kashmir's administration recently developed the famous Baba Chamliyal temple in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district to promote border tourism given the prevailing peace on the border. The Baba Chamliyal Temple, which was considered a symbol of harmony between India and Pakistan in the past, has been visited by thousands of devotees and especially on the occasion of the annual fair, a large number of people gather here.

Samba Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma said, “There are many places along the 55 km long international border in the district which have the potential to attract a large number of tourists such as Chamliyal Temple, 300-year-old Bamu Chak temple, Baba Bali Karan Ji temple and Baba Sidh Goriya.” “Both the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration are focusing on promoting border tourism. Tourists coming to Chamliyal Temple face accommodation problems and so we are making all-out efforts to develop more homestays,” Sharma told IANS.

Billu Choudhary, head of the Baba Chamliyal Temple Committee, said, “Devotees keep coming here but during the annual fair in June, lakhs of people visit this temple. After the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in 2018, tourists come here without any fear…before that, even we were afraid to visit this temple.” “Due to the plan of the government and administration to facilitate a homestay, there is a lot of happiness among the people of the border area, due to which new sources of employment have been generated in the area,” he told IANS.