Asia's largest tulip garden to open for visitors from tomorrow
(Sourced from PTI)
Asia's largest tulip garden, overlooking the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, will be thrown open to the public on Thursday, said Tulip Garden in-charge, Inam Rehman Sofi. This will mark the beginning of a new tourism season in Kashmir. Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was opened in 2008 by then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The idea of the garden, which is spread over 30 hectares in the foothills of the snow-clad Zabarwan Range, was conceived to advance the tourism season in the Valley by two months. Sofi said that the Floriculture Department planted nearly 15 lakh bulbs of different varieties this year. "The garden has so far achieved a bloom of about 25 percent," he added.
The official said that the garden houses 62 varieties of tulips this year. The average lifespan of tulip flowers is three-four weeks, but heavy rain or too much heat can destroy them. The Floriculture Department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in the garden for a month or more.
The Tourism Department has planned a cultural program at the garden in the first week of next month as part of the beginning of the new tourism season in the Valley. The aim of setting up the largest Tulip Garden in Asia was to give another choice to tourists and to advance the tourism season, which used to begin in May every year.
The garden has been a success story with thousands of tourists thronging it every year during the three weeks of its bloom. The garden will be opened after a two-year gap as it remained closed for the visitors due to the coronavirus lockdown last year.
Officials said that the Floriculture Department has put in place adequate measures to ensure the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in letter and spirit. "No visitor would be allowed to enter the garden without face masks," the officials said, adding that thermal scanners and sanitizers would be available for them at the garden.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the opening of the garden was special for the union territory. He appealed to the people to visit the Tulip Garden and experience the warm hospitality of the people.
Whenever you get the opportunity, do visit Jammu and Kashmir and witness the scenic Tulip festival. In addition to the tulips, you will experience the warm hospitality of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/RuZorHWBrO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 24, 2021
