Gulmarg, Feb 21: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has urged the Central government to enhance the skiing infrastructure in Gulmarg, aiming to attract more winter sports enthusiasts to Kashmir.
Expressing his concern, Abdullah stated, “Skiing in Gulmarg has its own charm, but I have noticed the skiing infrastructure is the same as we left it in 2014. Nothing new has been added in the past 10 years.” He further added that there was only one instance in two days when the Gondola (cable car) went up uninterrupted.
The former chief minister, who left office in 2014, highlighted that several skiers who used to visit Gulmarg were now opting for destinations like Kazakhstan. He appealed to the Central government not to view Gulmarg solely from the perspective of hosting the Khelo India games but to develop the region into a comprehensive skiing destination.
Abdullah emphasized Gulmarg’s potential as a skiing hub and expressed his contentment with the ongoing Khelo India Winter Games in the area. However, he pointed out that Khelo India is utilizing the existing infrastructure without any new additions.
The fourth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games commenced at Gulmarg on Wednesday, featuring the participation of around 800 players in the five-day event. Gulmarg has hosted all four editions of the winter games held thus far.
