By Zahid Shah
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Budhal, June 22 – Hidden in the serene mountains of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, Budhal is a breathtaking canvas of untouched natural beauty—verdant valleys, shimmering streams, crisp alpine air, and a silence that soothes the soul. Yet, despite its stunning charm and untapped promise, Budhal remains a forgotten chapter in J&K’s tourism narrative.
At a time when travelers are fleeing overcrowded destinations for authentic, offbeat experiences, Budhal presents itself as a ready-made sanctuary. Sadly, it has been sidelined by bureaucratic apathy and the absence of any cohesive tourism strategy.
Just 15–20 kilometers from Budhal lie the hidden hamlets of Nambal, Mall, and Kalhar in Gabbar village—natural treasures virtually absent from official tourism maps. These sites are gaining underground popularity among trekkers and nature enthusiasts, but they remain beyond reach for most due to dangerous, dilapidated roads and lack of support infrastructure.
Visitors who do make the journey speak of awe-inspiring landscapes and deep tranquility, but also recount the hardship it takes to get there. With broken infrastructure, no tourist facilities, and minimal government involvement, the region remains inhospitable to even the most adventurous traveler—an irony for a union territory aggressively marketed as a premier tourist destination.
Despite public appeals, protests, and repeated media spotlight, Budhal continues to be a victim of silence from authorities. While the J&K administration issues seasonal assurances and announces new tourism policies, Budhal is consistently left out of the conversation.
“We are sitting on a goldmine of natural beauty, but it’s like we don’t exist,” says a local youth. “Every year there’s talk of development and tourism, but Budhal is nowhere on the list.”
There are no paved roads, no accommodations, no tourist information centers, and no emergency services. Tourists are left to navigate the area on their own, often putting themselves at risk—a glaring contradiction to the government’s stated vision of safe and inclusive tourism.
Environmentalists and development experts warn that the window for action is closing. Budhal has everything it needs to be a thriving hub of eco-tourism—clean air, cultural depth, biodiversity, and pristine terrain. The missing ingredient is political will.
Local youth are ready to take charge. Many aspire to start homestays, organize treks, and promote local culture—but they are met with zero support. No training. No funding. No inclusion. Rather than being empowered, they are being ignored.
If immediate steps are not taken, Budhal will face a stark future: exploitation or extinction. Its valleys—Nambal, Mall, Kalhar, and others—are more than postcard-perfect scenes; they are ecological and cultural sanctuaries deserving preservation, investment, and recognition.
The neglect shown by the tourism department is not just disheartening—it is unjust. If the government is serious about equitable development and sustainable tourism, Budhal must be brought into the mainstream. The time for empty promises is over.
Budhal is ready. Its people are ready. Nature is calling. The only question is—
When will the J&K tourism system finally wake up and answer?
