Agencies
Srinagar, January 20:
A 31-member delegation of Members of Parliament (MPs) arrived on Wednesday in the summer capital, Srinagar, on a four-day visit to the Union Territory of J&K to review tourism revival and developmental projects.
The visit of the parliamentarians holds significance as this is the first time that MPs of different political parties are visiting J&K post abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides bifurcation of the erstwhile state into the two Union Territories.
Official sources said that the delegation, headed by Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh T G Venkatesh, arrived at Srinagar Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
”The delegation will meet various stakeholders, including officials from the tourism department, representatives from Institute Of Hotel Management, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering from Thursday to Saturday,” they added.
They said people associated with the travel and hospitality sector will also meet the delegation and put forward their concerns. ”The delegation after meeting all the stakeholders, will explore the potential of tourist spots and measures required to develop them,” they added.
They said the delegation will also meet officials of road transport and agencies, responsible for the maintenance of the national highway, to deliberate a sketch to improve connectivity. ”Of the 31 MPs, 11 are from Rajya Sabha and 20 are from Lok Sabha,” they said.
Sources said the delegation would not meet any political party leaders as the visit is an “administrative assignment”.
Post abrogation of special status of J&K on August 5, 2019, parliamentarians from opposition, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, were not allowed to visit Kashmir valley. However, a delegation of 23 European parliamentarians visited the valley for a ‘first-hand’ assessment of the situation on October 29, 2019.
