Over two years after Bangus Valley was closed following the Pahalgam tourist attack, tourism-dependent businesses in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district continue to struggle, with traders, hoteliers, transporters and horse riders bearing the brunt of the prolonged closure.
The closure comes even as several other tourist destinations across Jammu and Kashmir have reopened, leaving those whose businesses grew around Bangus facing mounting losses.
The valley is accessible through Handwara and Chowkibal.
Its growing popularity had fuelled a local tourism economy, with hotels, restaurants, transport services, horse riding and roadside stalls emerging along the routes and in adjoining areas.
Mohammad Irshad, owner of Khowaja Darbar hotel and restaurant in Chowkibal, said he had invested in the business after taking a loan in 2024, expecting Bangus to attract a steady flow of visitors.
“I took a loan in 2024 and started the business. Within a year, I had employed five people as the business was doing well. But with Bangus remaining closed, only two workers are now left,” he said.
Irshad said meeting the monthly loan instalment had become difficult and warned that he may be forced to shut the business if the situation persists.
Muneer Sheikh, another hotel owner, said bookings and orders had dried up since the closure.
“When Bangus was open, we used to receive pre-bookings and orders from different parts of Kashmir. Since its closure, demand has fallen drastically and we are now dependent on limited local business,” he said.
Transporters who invested in vehicles specifically for tourist trips have also been hit.
A local driver said he bought a top-model Scorpio on loan in 2024 to ferry tourists to Bangus and now pays Rs 22,000 a month in instalments.
“After Bangus was closed, the purpose for which I bought the vehicle ended. I now depend on local trips and struggle to make even Rs 300 to Rs 400 a day. I cannot manage the instalment,” he said.
Shopkeepers in Chowkibal said the 2024 tourist season had brought a surge in business and encouraged several people to open new shops.
They said the market had begun emerging as an important commercial hub in the district, but business declined sharply after Bangus was closed.
For Mohammad Amin, who worked as a horse rider in Bangus, the valley had provided a seasonal income sufficient to support his family.
“I earned around Rs 90,000 to Rs 95,000 during the 2024 season. Others working there also earned well. It was enough to support our families without having to look for work elsewhere,” he said.
With the valley shut, Amin said he was forced to sell his horse and now works as a daily wager whenever employment is available.
Traders, hoteliers, transporters and other workers said several families in the area remain dependent on Bangus and urged the administration to reopen the destination, saying its continued closure has left a growing tourism-based economy in distress.
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