Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a shadow on Asia’s largest Tulip garden located in the foothills of Zabarwan mountain range this season, overlooking the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, with 13 lakh Tulips set to wither without any visitor.
The famous Tulip garden in Kashmir was set to open in the first week of April this year, with various varieties of 13 lakh Tulips and a waterfall theme in the background to greet visitors. But the coronavirus outbreak ruined all plans as the garden has been closed for the visitors by the Department of Floriculture, in the wake of the deadly pandemic.
“The garden is closed for one and all,” Tulip garden in-charge Sheikh Altaf told NVI. “Covid-19 has cast its shadow on Tulip garden too besides targeting humans across the world. We had thought that this year, at least three lakh visitors would visit the garden,” Altaf said adding that they had plans to keep the garden open for 45 days this season.
This year, Altaf added, 13 lakh Tulips were in full bloom to greet visitors. The Floriculture department had also introduced the “Cherry garden theme” this time, taking inspiration from Japan, while different varieties of flowers were also kept on display at the entry and exit points to attract visitors.
He said that there was a water channel at the backyard of the garden as well, to add to the overall charm, but “all in vain because of Covid-19 pandemic.”
Last year, 2.58 lakh visitors, including foreign and domestic tourists visited the garden. “This year, we were hopeful that three lakh visitors including locals would visit the garden,” he said.
“We had also kept different species of flowers in the garden different from the Tulips as part of the added attraction,” he said.
Sources in the Floriculture department, that oversees Tulip garden, said that the closure of garden has resulted in Rs 1,000 Crore losses to the tourism and allied sectors. “Tulip garden alone would earn Rs 1 Crore for a period of 45 days,” they said. With the Tulip garden, there were many sectors associated which include Shikara wallas (boatmen), hoteliers, houseboat owners, tour operators, cab drivers, tea and coffee and barbecue sellers, etc. “So estimated loss is Rs 1000 Crore,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also lamented, while taking to Twitter: “We can’t see you this season. Hope next year will be a bumper bloom and bumper tourism season.”
The closure of garden due to the pandemic has also left many tourists, who had booked tickets in advance to see Tulip bloom, disappointed. Ankita Sharma from Mumbai had planned to visit Kashmir on April 5 this year with the sole aim of visiting Tulip garden. “I am really disappointed. The Covid has really played a spoilsport. It has put human lives at a risk we have never seen before. Let’s hope to see the garden next year,” she said.
