Srinagar, April 14 : A record number of 3.30 lakh tourists thronged the Asia’s largest Tulip Garden on the foothills of Zabarwan in Srinagar till Wednesday evening, official said on Thursday. The mesmerizing Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden near the banks of Dal Lake with 15 lakh Tulip bulbs of 68 different varieties of graceful colours was put through for the tourists on March 23. “A record number of 3.30 lakh tourists, including foreigners, visited the Tulip Garden till April 13,” Assistant Floriculture Officer Tulip Garden Inam Rehman told . Last year, when Covid was at its peak, more than 2.26 lakh people visited the Tulip Garden. “Rains lashed Srinagar and other parts of the valley on Wednesday, which also caused damage to the tulip bulbs,” he said. However, he further says if the weather remains favorable, the tourists can enjoy the trip to the garden for at least five more days. Kashmir valley is witnessing a record influx of tourists after decades following Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. This year besides 68 colourful varieties of Tulip bulbs, there were mesmerizing and eye-catching flowers of Daffodil, Hyssen, Muscari, spring blooming shops and trees in the garden which became the eye-catching attractions for the visitors, he said. Tulip garden Srinagar is Asia’s largest tulip garden with an overview of Dal Lake and spread over an area of about 30 hectares of land. “The visitors this year felt relaxed and had a view of a rainbow of colours in the garden which made them feel happy and pleasant,” Rehman said. An open air cafeteria was also set up in the garden and became a refreshing treat for the visiting tourists who enjoyed the traditional local cuisine, he said, and added several cultural programmes were also held for the entertainments of the visitors this year also. He said people enjoyed the view of beautiful Tulip blooms after lockdown and Coronavirus restrictions were lifted following the decline in Covid cases in the alley. QAB GK