SRINAGAR: The iconic Tulip Garden in central Kashmir’s Srinagar district has witnessed an unprecedented rush this season, with over 2.25 lakh visitors so far, officials said.
Director of Floriculture, Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom said that the footfall has seen a steady increase, spiking to 22,000 visitors per day on holidays and weekends.
Director Masoom credited favourable weather and proactive administration for the sustained bloom. With 70-75 varieties of tulips on display, Asia’s largest Tulip Garden is set to break all previous records, she added.
The Badamwari garden has recorded a 139 per cent surge in footfall — jumping from 18,000 last year to 43,000 this March, she said.
Another senior tourism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the transformation in the region has been stark. “Gone are the days of stone pelting. Today, it is only about selfies and tulips,” the official said.
He further said that the numbers would swell further as the bloom peaks, asserting that Jammu & Kashmir is emerging as the country’s undisputed tourism capital. (KNS)
