Administrative Secretary Sanjit Rodrigues Tours Drass Sub Division to Review Tourism Projects

Kargil, November 16, 2025 — Shri Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, Administrative Secretary for Tourism & Culture, and Information & Public Relations, conducted an extensive tour of the Drass Subdivision and other key tourist attraction sites to review tourism-related projects.
The Secretary was accompanied by Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner/ CEO, LAHDC Kargil. Other officials included Er. Syed Mehdi, Executive Engineer, KDA; Er. Mansoor Hussain, Executive Engineer, R&B Kargil; and Mohd Ali Tak, AD Tourism, along with officials from concerned departments and representatives of various agencies, NGOs working in the field, and village representatives.
The Administrative Secretary visited the Mushkoo Valley, where he reviewed the Mushkoo Valley Challenge Based Destination Development plan, which is being developed under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. The project aims to develop the village as a key destination for Brown Bear sighting. He reviewed the construction of the entry point for Mushkoo Valley, the Brown Bear viewpoint, the development of wild tulips as a tourist attraction, and other development plans to be implemented by the executing agency.
The Secretary indicated certain changes in the project design and emphasized that the development must be sustainable and implemented with minimal intervention in the natural environment and must not cause damage to the natural landscape.
The Secretary also directed that the waste collection mechanism in the area be improved, which he emphasized is a significant step toward preserving the wildlife.
Later, the Administrative Secretary visited the Sangam View Point, which is being developed as a tourist attraction site and initiated plans on preservation of the rock carvings at Kharul and
During his visit to the Hundarman Heritage site, which is also being developed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Secretary directed the agencies and stakeholders to plan the trail, viewpoint, and conservation project of the village without disturbing the area’s natural aesthetics. He directed the development of natural trails instead of stairs or steps. The PHE Department was directed to lay the water supply pipeline underground to maintain the natural look.
The locals at Hundarman requested the opportunity to station e-vehicles or rickshaws to transport tourists from the parking space to the viewpoint.
The Secretary along with the Development Commissioner, Kargil also deliberated on the signing of an MoU and the issue of a notification with the villagers to develop the village and reflect it in the Archaeology map. He stated that the new development plan for Hundarman will be a three-tier project, covering the current viewpoint, the Hundarman Heritage Museum, and the top viewpoint which would developed as a new Border viewpoint under the project.
He directed the concerned officials to submit a revised plan for the Hundurman Heritage development as soon as possible and a notification be issued to ensure that the existing traditional structures are not disturbed.