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This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the gardenNestled between the Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Hills, Asia’s largest tulip garden opened for the public on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was thrown open to the public by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The garden was set up by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister of the erstwhile state in 2007 to advance J-K’s tourist season which was earlier limited to the summers and the winters.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the garden was opened to the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom, Floriculture Department officials said.The department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in bloom for a month or more.Asia’s Largest Tulip Garden In Srinagar Opens For Public.

This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the garden.

Srinagar:

Nestled between the Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Hills, Asia’s largest tulip garden opened for the public on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was thrown open to the public by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The garden was set up by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister of the erstwhile state in 2007 to advance J-K’s tourist season which was earlier limited to the summers and the winters.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the garden was opened to the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom, Floriculture Department officials said.

The department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in bloom for a month or more.

This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the garden.

A new colour scheme has been introduced this year, and the total number of varieties of tulips and other flowers has risen to 74.

Other spring flowers including hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens are also on display.

About 17 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted in the garden that spreads over 55 hectares, the officials said.

The extension of the garden has reached almost its full capacity, they said.

The garden started on a small scale with 50,000 tulip bulbs imported from The Netherlands. It instantly gained popularity among tourists and has been steadily growing each year, both in terms of the number of visitors and the tulips that bloom.More than 4.65 lakh visitors, both domestic and foreign, visited the garden last year while the footfall in 2023 was 3.65 lakh.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held an emergency meeting on Tuesday with senior officers in the wake of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir in which one tourist from Karnataka was killed.Several other tourists were critically injured in the terror attack.

As per the information till now, one tourist from Karnataka has been shot dead in front of his wife and son. The person who died has been identified as Manjunath Rao, a realtor from Shivamogga district in Karnataka.

He had travelled to Kashmir with his wife Pallavi, a bank manager, and their 18-year-old son Abhi. Both Pallavi and Abhi are safe and currently under the care of the authorities. More information is awaited about other tourists from Karnataka.A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said, “Upon receiving news that Kannadigas were targeted in a terrorist attack in Kashmir, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah immediately held a meeting with senior officials to gather information.”

After being briefed by the Chief Secretary and senior police officers, the Chief Minister instructed them to take swift action.Following his directions, a team of officials has left for Kashmir, and police officers have also been dispatched. The Resident Commissioner in Delhi has been instructed to oversee the necessary follow-up actions, the CMO statement added.Taking to X, CM Siddaramaiah said, “I strongly condemn the heinous terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Kannadigas are among the victims of this shocking incident.

“Upon receiving the news, I convened an emergency meeting and reviewed the situation with the Chief Secretary and senior police officials. I have also spoken to the Resident Commissioner in Delhi.Following my directions, two teams – one consisting of senior officers and another of police personnel – have been dispatched to Jammu and Kashmir. An adventure team from the Sports Department, led by Commissioner Chetan, is also en route.””We are closely monitoring developments. All necessary support will be extended. Please be assured, the Government of Karnataka stands firmly with those affected,” he added.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism, H.K. Patil, commenting on the incident, stated that he had spoken to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.We have received preliminary information that 12 people from Karnataka were present at the location. We are verifying the details. We have also received information that one person has died in the terrorist attack,” he said.

“We will do everything possible to support them,” he added.

BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra, who represents the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency, confirmed that the surviving woman and her son are at a safe location.”The information has been communicated to the Delhi Resident Commissioner. Our current focus is on bringing Manjunath’s body back to Shivamogga,” he stated.

More than 50 persons from Goa who were on a vacation to Jammu and Kashmir were stranded at hotels in Srinagar after the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam and efforts were on to bring them back, officials said on Wednesday.

Terrorists struck at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 persons, mostly tourists, and injuring several others, according to officials.

The terrorists opened fire at tourists who were milling around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, touted as ‘Mini Switzerland’ for its serene beauty.The terrorists opened fire at tourists who were milling around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, touted as ‘Mini Switzerland’ for its serene beauty.

After the incident, all visitors were transported from Pahalgam and other places to hotels in Srinagar, a Goa government official said.More than 50 persons from Goa were currently in Jammu and Kashmir, the official said, adding that “all are safe”.

Efforts were on to bring them back, the official said.

Tour operators from Goa were also working out plans to bring all tourists back from Jammu and Kashmir.

One of the tour operators said a few of the tourists were scheduled to visit Baisaran point after food where the attack happened.

“A group of Goans was in Pahalgam market when the incident happened, while another group was in Sonamarg. All were called back to a hotel in Srinagar were they are currently safe,” said Ahraz Mulla, co-founder of tour company Goa Adventure Club in Panaji.

Mr Mulla said their firm had planned a trip for a group of 34 persons to Pahalgam and 12 to Jammu.

“Those in Jammu are stranded due to a landslide. They also cannot fly out from there as flights are running full capacity,” he said.A group that went to Pahalgam reached there on April 17 and was supposed to return on April 24. “Efforts are on to get them back immediately,” Mr Mulla said.

Daxal Naik, owner of Travel Bug Tours and Travels near Panaji, said a group of 26 persons whose visit to Jammu and Kashmir was facilitated by his company, was still stranded there.All of them have reached hotels in Srinagar. We are trying to bring them back as soon as possible,” he said.

Mr Naik said a group of tourists from Goa was having lunch at Pahalgam market when the attack happened.”The tourists were scheduled to visit Baisaran point after having food where the attack happened,” he added.The group had left from Goa on April 21 and was supposed to return on April 26, he said.The unavailability of seats in flights from Jammu and Kashmir has forced the tour operators to keep tourists in hotels there, Naik claimed, adding that efforts were on to bring them back by the earlier flight possible.

In the view of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, several airlines, including SpiceJet and Air India, have issued travel advisories for their passengers.

In the view of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, several airlines, including SpiceJet and Air India, have issued travel advisories for their passengers.

SpiceJet have extended waivers on rescheduling and cancellations for travel to and from Srinagar until April 30. The condition is applied to the tickets which have been booked before .In light of the recent tragedy in Pahalgam, SpiceJet is extending waivers on rescheduling and cancellations for travel to and from Srinagar, valid until April 30, 2025. This applies to all bookings made on or before April 22. To minimise passenger inconvenience amid the ongoing situation, we are also operating an additional flight from Srinagar to Delhi today. We stand in heartfelt solidarity with the victims, their families, and all those affected during this difficult time,” SpiceJet said in their official statement.According to an advisory issued by Air India, the airline has capped fares on flights from Srinagar to Mumbai and Delhi to ensure affordability for passengers. Air India is also offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations to passengers with confirmed bookings till April 30, 2025.

“Fares on Air India flights from Srinagar to Mumbai and Delhi have been capped to ensure affordability. Any high fares shown on booking sites may be due to multi-stop routes or higher cabin classes, offering a mix of direct and indirect options. We remain committed to assisting all passengers during this time. We are also offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations to passengers with confirmed bookings till April 30, 2025, on these sectors”, the advisory said.Tourists who are stranded in the Kashmir valley in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack are made to shell out a hefty amount of money to fly back to their home towns, as flight tickets have exorbitantly risen, apparently because of heavy demand. Air fares to major Indian cities have skyrocketed since the news of the terrorist attack broke out on Tuesday evening.

Searches on the websites of airline operators either show elevated ticket prices or indicate that tickets are sold out. Anyone trying to book a ticket for today would encounter messages such as “all flights are too close to departure,” “sold out,” or “unfortunately, there are no flights available.”

Around 25 people have asked them to cancel their bookings for the Union Territory, said Gaurav Rathi, owner of Swan Travellers, a company located in Connaught Place.In the aftermath of a terror attack in Pahalgam, several travel agencies in Delhi said on Wednesday that nearly 90 per cent bookings for Jammu and Kashmir have been cancelled by tourists over safety concerns.

Around 25 people have asked them to cancel their bookings for the Union Territory, said Gaurav Rathi, owner of Swan Travellers, a company located in Shankar Market, Outer Circle, Connaught Place.

He added that most of the tourists had planned to visit Kashmir next month and are now requesting cancellations.

The attack took place around 3 pm on Tuesday, when terrorists descended from the mountains in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley and opened fire on tourists. The area, often referred to as “mini Switzerland” for its lush green meadows, is a popular tourist destination.At least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in the ghastly attack.

Travel agencies in Delhi reported that nearly 90 per cent bookings for Kashmir have been cancelled, while some tourists are negotiating to shift their plans to alternative destinations.We had a few bookings from families. From bus and flight tickets to hotels — everything was booked in advance. But the moment the news of the terror attack broke, we started receiving calls for cancellations,” Dev, the owner of Kusha Travels, told PTI.

Popular tourist spots like Gulmarg, Hajan Valley and the Tulip Gardens were among the most-booked destinations.

“We had more than 20 bookings for Kashmir for this month and next month, but almost all of those have been cancelled indefinitely,” said Kartik Verma, a travel agent from Good Guide Tours and Travels.

“People are asking for refunds. They are saying they cannot risk taking their loved ones to a place where there is a chance that they might not return,” he added.Since some bookings, especially for flights and hotels, are non-refundable, it is creating a real mess for the tour agencies, Verma said, adding that during this time of the year, Kashmir is among the most sought-after destinations for families.

Another travel agency, Swastik Travels, said Kashmir is not just the first-choice destination for Delhiites, but also very popular among the tourists visiting Delhi, many of whom plan onward trips to the valley.

“It is not just Delhi residents cancelling their plans — tourists already in the capital are also calling off their Kashmir trips, even though hotel tariffs are at a peak this summer. People are cancelling regardless of the cost,” said the owner of Swastik Travels.Not just Kashmir, people are now scared to even visit Jammu. We had bookings for seven families headed to Katra for the Vaishno Devi shrine and all of those have been cancelled after the horrific attack,” he added.

Another travel agency, AJ Tours and Travels, said they have been instructed to stop taking further bookings for Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have been directed by the Travel Association of Srinagar to halt all transportation and bookings. So we are not accepting any new bookings for Jammu and Kashmir until further notice,” the agency said.The Pahalgam attack is the deadliest in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike.

Among the dead were two foreigners and two local residents, according to a senior official who declined to share more details.

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