CEC, Hill Council, Kargil Feroz Ahmed Khan promoted Kargil as a tourist destination during his three-day visit to Pune.

A team from Kargil included Executive Councilor (Works), Syed Abass Razvi; Vice President MC Kargil, Gulzar Hussain; Chief Planning Officer Kargil, Abdul Hadi; President AKTTA Muhammad Ali; Executive Magistrate, Muhammad Hassan; General Secretary Kargil Olympics Association, Syed Mehraj-ud-din Shah, and Founder Roots Ladakh Muzammil Hussain.

CEC Khan pitched for stronger relations between the two cities especially in the sectors of education, tourism, and skill enhancement. He stressed the need for realizing the potential of Kargil as a high-altitude location for physical training, especially for athletics. He said that the Kargil International Marathon organized by Sarhad Pune in Kargil can play a pivotal role in drawing athletes from all over India to Kargil.

He assured that the LAHDC Kargil shall make all efforts to organize the Kargil International Marathon 2022 as a grand event in September 2022. He invited all athletes, through the medium of the Press Club of Pune, to Kargil in September 2020. He hoped that the pandemic situation would subside by summer 2022.

CEC Khan visited the campus of Sarhad College of Arts, Commerce and Science and Sarhad School Pune where they were informed that over 6000 students were on roll in the two institutes being run under the aegis of the organization. They were also informed that over 40 students from the Kargil district are also undergoing their higher and school education in these institutions.

Interaction was held with the travel and tour operators’ fraternity of Pune wherein President Travel Agents Association Pune, Dr. Viwshwas Kelkar welcomed the team at the Mahavir Jain Vidyala Premises. 

Founder Roots Ladakh, Muzammil Hussain gave a detailed presentation about the scope of Tourism in Kargil.

Responding to questions from the travel and tour operators of Pune, CEC Khan said that about 40 percent of all tourists arriving at Kargil hail from western states of India including Gujarat and Maharashtra. He urged the travel and tour operators of Pune to help LAHDC Kargil realize the true potential of Kargil for a sustainable and eco-friendly tourism industry.

A detailed question and answer session followed the discussions wherein members of the Travel Agents Association Pune enquired about various practical and operational issues faced by tourists during their travel to the Ladakh region.

The team assured that all steps are being taken in due consultation with the governments of UT Ladakh as well as the UT J&K to enable hassle-free access to all tourist destinations in Ladakh.