Srinagar, March 28: Asia's largest tulip garden has attracted over sixty-one thousand tourists after it was opened on the 23rd of this month, officials said on Wednesday.
According to an official there has been an overwhelming response from visitors since its opening. In the first five days, 51,786 visitors thronged the garden despite the ongoing holy month of Ramadan.
He said, on opening day, 10,189 visitors came to the garden, followed by 11,310 on the second day. Similarly, on March 25th, 9,622 tourists visited the garden. On March 26th, 10,605 tourists visited, followed by 10,060 on March 27th. On Thursday, 9,115 tourists thronged the garden.
As in previous years, the floriculture department has added five more tulip varieties to the garden to enhance its enchantment.
To reduce long queues, online ticket processing has been introduced which has been well-received by visitors. The floriculture department in Kashmir has outsourced the garden to a private contractor.
Additionally, the contractor Khan Mudasir has announced an exclusive 20% discount on tickets for schools until April 10, said Mudasir.
Visitors to the garden expressed their enjoyment of its beauty and their satisfaction with the arrangements made by the government for a hassle-free experience.
Last year, the garden broke all records, with 366,000 tourists visiting. This year's numbers seem poised to surpass that, with a large number of people expressing difficulty in visiting Kashmir due to pre-booked hotels.
The garden is currently experiencing an all-time high in tourist numbers, and officials anticipate even more visitors after Eid.