By Dr. Saad Parvez

Some places are not meant to hold masses, but meaning. Kashmir is one of them. The question is no longer how to bring crowds, but how to welcome the right ones, in the right way.

Not long ago, you could still hear your thoughts in a Shikara. Now, the lake moves differently – restless, hurried – as if trying to keep up with the way we travel.

The solution doesn’t lie in shutting doors. It lies in opening new ones, smartly. Technology, data, and community wisdom can help us rebuild tourism to serve both people and place.

Let’s begin with crowd control. Imagine if entry to fragile sites like Gulmarg or Sonamarg worked like a timed ticket to a museum.

A digital visitor management system could limit numbers based on real-time capacity. No more traffic chaos, no long queues, no pressure on fragile landscapes. Everyone gets their turn, and a better experience.

This isn’t a fantasy. It’s entirely doable. Pre-booking systems already work for major attractions around the world. Kashmir can adapt it to its own scale.

Add in GPS-based tools to help visitors avoid congested areas, and suddenly, tourism becomes smoother for everyone, especially locals, who feel overrun in their own towns.

Transport must change too. We cannot keep filling narrow roads with diesel vehicles. Let’s replace taxis with electric shuttles. Let’s bring in e-scooters in Srinagar. Why not run silent electric shikaras on Dal Lake?

In mountain zones, cable cars and ropeways can cut down on road travel, reduce emissions, and offer better views.

During winter, cities like Zermatt in Switzerland go car-free. In high season, parts of Kyoto shut down to vehicles. Kashmir deserves this kind of........

© Kashmir Observer