Pahalgam Tourism Revives One Year On; Security Heightened at Kashmir Tourist Spots as Baisaran Valley Remains Closed

The Tribune India and other outlets reported on April 19, 2026 — three days before the first anniversary of the Pahalgam massacre — that security forces had significantly tightened their presence across Jammu and Kashmir's tourist sites while Pahalgam itself was witnessing a broad revival of visitor activity. Unified command operations were intensified across the Valley with coordinated deployments of Indian Army, CRPF, BSF, and J&K Police under a single command structure specifically to protect tourist areas in the run-up to the April 22 anniversary. Separately, authorities rolled out a QR code-based identification system for all registered tourism service providers in Pahalgam — including pony-ride operators, hawkers, and business establishments — allowing tourists to verify the identity, credentials, and police clearance of any service provider before engaging them. The famed Baisaran meadow — the actual site of the April 22, 2025 massacre, where 26 tourists and locals were killed — remains closed to visitors pending a comprehensive security assessment. Despite this, broader Pahalgam valley, reopened tourist routes, and the wider Kashmir Valley were described as 'buzzing with tourist activity' reflecting gradual restoration of confidence. Some 50 tourist spots had been shut immediately after the 2025 attack; approximately 14 were reopened by February 2026 following security audits, with phased reopenings continuing. The Indian government has framed the tourism revival as a vindication of its Operation Sindoor strategy and counter-insurgency posture.