Jammu, June 20: The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has announced the reopening of the renowned Naranag Temple in the Ganderbal district for devotees and tourists after a thorough security review.
In a post shared on the Lieutenant Governor’s official ‘X’ handle, it was stated, “This decision brings significant relief to local residents and those connected to the tourism industry. The prolonged closure of Naranag Temple had severely impacted the region’s economy.”
Previously, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, President of the National Conference and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, had advocated for the temple’s reopening to tourists. During his visit to Naranag, he spoke with local residents who expressed their concerns about the economic stagnation caused by the temple’s closure following the Pahalgam tragedy. Acknowledging the locals’ difficulties, Dr. Farooq assured them that the government, led by Omar Abdullah, is actively working to reopen other closed tourist sites as soon as possible.
The reopening of Naranag Temple has rekindled hope among local shopkeepers, hoteliers, taxi drivers, and others involved in tourism. This development is expected to boost religious tourism and revive economic activities in the area.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, over 9,000 pilgrims departed from Jammu city to attend the annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela in the Ganderbal district of the Kashmir Valley, under strict security measures. Most of the participants were Kashmiri Pandits.
Legislator Devyani Rana, DIG Shridhar Patil, and other senior officials flagged off the pilgrims. The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation is facilitating the transport of pilgrims to the Kashmir Valley using approximately 200 buses, all under tight security.
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