Sonamarg:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir’s skiing resort Gulmarg, which is preparing to host the fifth edition of Khelo India Winter Games, has become the winter sports capital of the country.

PM Modi was addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a strategic 6.4-km tunnel here constructed at a cost of Rs 2,700 crore, which will make tourist resort Sonamarg accessible throughout the year.

“Gulmarg has become the winter games capital of India, having hosted four Khelo India Winter Games, with the fifth edition starting next month,” the prime minister said after inaugurating the Z-Morh tunnel in Ganderbal district.

Highlighting opportunities in sports for youth in Jammu and Kashmir, the prime minister mentioned the first international marathon held in Srinagar a few months ago.

PM Modi also recalled the video of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah participating in the marathon and their enthusiastic discussion about it during a meeting in Delhi.

Asserting that it was truly a new era of Jammu and Kashmir’s history, PM Modi said an international cricket league was held in the region after forty years, besides car racing scenes around the beautiful Dal Lake.

Over the past two years, the prime minister noted that 2,500 athletes from across the country have participated in various sports tournaments in Jammu and Kashmir.

He highlighted the establishment of over 90 Khelo India centres in the region, providing training to 4,500 local youth.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Terrorists attacked an Army vehicle in the Botapather area of North Kashmir’s Gulmarg, late Thursday, sources told NDTV. At least five soldiers have been injured.

The attack comes hours after a labourer was shot at and injured in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The injured man was later identified as Pritam Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh.

The attack earlier today was the second in Ganderbal in the past 72 hours.

Three days earlier six construction workers and a doctor were killed after terrorists – at least two of them – attacked a housing camp for construction workers building a tunnel.

READ | 6 Workers, Doctor Killed In “Dastardly” Terror Attack In J&K

Those killed were identified as Dr Shahnawaz from Nayidgam Kashmir’s Budgam and Gurmeet Singh from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, while Mohammad Haneef, Faheem Nasir, and Kaleem were from Bihar.

The sixth and seventh were Madhya Pradesh’s Anil Shukla and Shashi Abrol from Jammu.

READ | On CCTV, 2 Terrorists Seen Entering J&K Camp Before Attack

The attackers left behind an INSAS rifle.

Omar Abdullah – the newly-elected Chief Minister – called it a “dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers”. Mr Abdullah said, “They were working on a key infrastructure project. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones.”

The Ganderbal attack was the worst on civilians in recent months, and took place just says after Mr Abdullah, whose party won the October 8 election, the first in a decade, took his oath of office.

A day after that attack a newly-formed terror group – called Tehreek Labaik Ya Muslim – was dismantled following raids across several districts of the former state.

READ | Major Anti-Terror Op In J&K, New Terror Group Dismantled

The raids were conducted in the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kulgam, Budgam, Anantnag, and Pulwama. According to the police, the primary objective was to neutralise a recruitment module within the TLM that was actively involved in recruiting young men into terrorist activities.

With input from agencies

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A fire broke out today at a resort in Jammu and Kashmir’s popular ski town, Gulmarg. Several rooms were burnt in the massive and efforts were on to douse the flames.

Meanwhile, locals made snowballs to extinguish the flames. People gathered in groups and started pounding on the flames, a video showed. Gulmarg is covered with dense snow after weeks of a dry spell in the first few weeks of January and has seen massive snowfall since the beginning of February.

No injuries have been reported and further details are awaited.

Last week, one skier from Russia died after a massive avalanche hit Gulmarg, a ski resort town in Jammu and Kashmir. Seven skiers from Russia were hit by the avalanche and six have been rescued.

The town, known for its landscapes and world-class skiing slopes, has become a hotspot for adventure seekers and tourists after the recent snowfall that ended over two months of dry spells.

 

Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir:

World-famous tourist destination Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, is now witnessing the first snowfall of the season as the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas located here adorns itself with the fresh snowfall.

Gulmarg is one of the most incredible tourist destinations famous for its eye-catching view during the snowfall season as well as the season of Lupine flowers, which usually begins from mid-June and remains till the end of July.

During the snowfall season, people showcase their creativity by making snow sculptures.

Apart from its breathtaking beauty, Gulmarg is also famous for winter sports. In addition to being the most popular tourist destination, it is also a skiing destination.

In February 2022, the World’s largest igloo cafe was opened in Gulmarg, grabbing the eyeballs of the tourists.

In 2023, a glass igloo restaurant was developed by a private entity in Gulmarg.

The place, having a picturesque view, is also famous for St Mary’s Church, Maharaja Palace, Maharani temple, and Gulmarg Gondola, etc.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)