Kashmir Tourism Department Bans School Buses to Accommodate Tourists

The Ministry of Tourism of Jammu and Kashmir has announced that school buses will no longer be permitted to enter Gulmarg's tourist destinations on weekends. This measure has been taken to manage the increased number of tourists in the area.

No School Buses on Weekends

The advisory statement was put out by the chief executive officer of the Tourism Development Authority, Gulmarg, which stated that “due to high volume of locals and visitors visiting Gulmarg on weekends, it has become necessary to impose regulatory measures. Therefore, the heads of private/government schools of Kashmir Division are advised to plan their excursions on weekdays and not on weekends (Saturday or Sunday) for their own convenience and that of the local authorities.”

The advisory also mentioned that schools, from now on, should apply a week before for prior permission to enter the area. “No school buses will be allowed to enter Gulmarg without prior permission of the development authority. It is also advised the schools to limit the number of buses to less than four per school as huge fleet of buses leads to traffic jam and congestion due to limited parking space in Gulmarg.”