Following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, security forces and police have launched anti-terror operations across Jammu and Kashmir. To facilitate these operations and prioritize tourist safety, the central government of India has temporarily shut down more than half of the tourist centers in Kashmir.
According to reports, there are a total of 87 tourist spots in Indian-administered Kashmir. Out of these, 48 locations — including Yusmarg, Tosa Maidan, Doodhpathri, Aharbal, Kausarnag, Bangus, Chandigam, Wular, and Rampora — have been closed.
The remaining 40 tourist centers, including Gulmarg, Sonmarg, and Dal Lake, remain open but with heightened security measures.
On April 22, in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in Anantnag district, 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali tourist lost their lives in a terrorist shooting. The Kashmir-based militant group The Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The brutal attack has sparked outrage across India, prompting military operations throughout Jammu and Kashmir. Although no suspects directly involved in the attack have been arrested yet, multiple militant hideouts have been destroyed. Intelligence reports suggest that militants are planning retaliatory attacks. Several intelligence agencies have indicated that multiple “sleeper cells” are becoming active in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, raising fears of further terrorist attacks at any time.
Some of the closed tourist spots are currently active military operation zones. Taking all these factors into consideration, the Indian government has decided to temporarily shut down 48 tourist locations in Kashmir.