Poonch Mandi, Jan 30: The Sultan Patri area located in Loran area of Poonch Mandi tehsil in the district is now a place of high tourist attraction with people in large numbers visiting here after recent snowfall.
Hundreds of tourists from various parts of Jammu and Kashmir are enjoying the snow as well as the natural beauty of Sultan Patri but lack of basic facilities is putting them in hardship.
Manoj Kumar, a tourist visiting the area told Greater Kashmir that he belongs to Rajouri district and came to Sultan Patri with his family to enjoy the snow.
" I took along all the food and drink from the house as there is no arrangement here," Manoj said.
Calling for a need to develop such places with high tourist potential, another tourist Mohammad Azad said that the government should identify all such places and a special project should immediately be announced.
" A special project under Tourism Development should be announced for the area and necessary construction should be done to facilitate tourists," Azad said.
Other tourists visiting the area said that Loran and Saujiyan valleys in Mandi tehsil of Poonch district are of immense tourist potential and that include Loran Arai, Nandi Chool Arai and Jabi Toti which can become hub of tourist activities if potential is tapped.
The people have demanded from the Lieutenant Governor administration to bring these areas on the tourist map and develop them.
On being contacted Chief Executive Officer of Poonch Development Authority, Mohd Tanveer said that the department has recently brought Nandi Chool tourist point on tourism map.
" Now we will devise a plan for bringing Sultan Patri on a tourism map," the officer said.
