SRINAGAR: In a bid to further boost tourism allure of Asia’s largest Tulip garden, the Department of Floriculture has added five more new tulip varieties this year besides expanding the existing garden area.

This was informed during a meeting chaired by Commissioner Secretary Floriculture, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, held at Civil Secretariat here.

The meeting was also attended by Director Floriculture Kashmir, District Floriculture Officers and other senior officers of the department.

While addressing the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary said that it is the endeavour of the department to make the Tulip Garden more attractive and alluring for the tourists from all over the world.

“This year we have added five new varieties bringing the total number of tulip varieties to 73.  These new varieties will give an enchanting experience to the visitors making the splendid garden extremely beautiful,” he maintained.

He added that 1.7 million tulips are set to bloom this year in the upcoming season, the ground work of which has been completed. He said that the department has also added another four kanal of land for the parking lot at the tulip garden to ensure a smooth experience for the visitors.

Sheikh Fayaz said that Tulip Garden, recently included in the World Book of Records, is a pride for the Floriculture department and has greatly enhanced the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir. We are anticipating a big increase in arrival of tourists to the Tulip Garden this year as compared to the last year and preparations are in full swing in this regard.

He took note of various civil works in the garden like face lifting, toilet points, soakage pits, lightning system, illumination among other works and asked the concerned to complete the leftover works. He asked the DFOs to ensure parks are well maintained in all the districts and all the facilities for the visitors are in place. He said that all parks should have a washroom facility for ease of the visitors.

Sheikh Fayaz directed the officers to complete all the ongoing works in the shortest possible timeframe. He asked the Director Floriculture to personally monitor the execution of works to ensure their timely completion.

It was also revealed during the meeting that the Floriculture department has installed multi activity children equipment in 7 more parks bringing the total number of parks with children equipment to 14.

Director Floriculture Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad Rather, said that it is a conscious endeavour of the department to ensure that children have fun time in the parks. 

He also passed strict directions to the concerned officers to keep a close watch on the equipments in the parks to avoid any untoward incident. He said that any damaged equipment should be immediately replaced to ensure complete safety of the children.(GNS)

SRINAGAR: The exquisite Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, nestled in the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range, today earned a prestigious spot in the World Book of Records (London).

This coveted recognition hails the garden as Asia’s largest tulip paradise, adorned with breath-taking array of 1.5 million tulip bulbs, representing a stunning ensemble of 68 distinctive tulip varieties.

In a formal ceremony held today at the Tulip Garden, Commissioner Secretary Floriculture, Gardens & Parks, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad was honoured with the certification by President and CEO of World Book of Records (London), Santosh Shukla.

Editor of World Book of Records (London), Dilip N Pandit, Director Floriculture Kashmir, other officers and gardening staff were also present on the occasion.

Speaking about this remarkable accolade, the Commissioner Secretary, expressed his profound gratitude to the World Book of Records(London) team for acknowledging the magnificence of Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden.

He deemed this recognition as a monumental achievement, one that would not only elevate the stature of Srinagar’s floral treasure but also contribute to the growth of the local economy in the serene valleys of Kashmir.

He said the inclusion in the World Book of Records is not only a recognition of Srinagar’s blossoming gem but also a celebration of the enchanting bond between humanity and nature.

President and CEO of World Book of Records, Santosh Shukla, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Central Working Committee of the organization for the feat. He added that this recognition underscores the unparalleled beauty and magnificence of Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, positioning it as a symbol of nature’s splendour and human ingenuity.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, affectionately known for its breathtaking vista, not only boasts a splendid collection of tulips but also serves as a haven for a myriad of flower species. Delicate Daffodils, fragrant Hyacinths, resplendent Roses, charming Ranunculi, vibrant Muscaria, and enchanting Iris blooms flourish alongside the iconic tulips, creating an enchanting tapestry of colors and fragrances.(GNS)

SRINAGAR: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden, located on the foothills of Zabarwan mountain range, turned out to be a major tourist attraction in Kashmir this year with over 3.7 lac visitors from far and wide thronging the garden to enjoy the diverse hues of nature at display.

The Tulip garden spanning over an area of 30 hectares (74 acres) has on a year-to-year basis pulled record number of visitors from all across be it the local, the national or the foreigners. 

The figures, available with GNS, suggest that a total of 377201 tourists of which 315266 included domestic, 3259 foreigners and 58676 locals visited the garden over a period of 33 days – after thrown open to visitors on March 19,2023 upto April 20, 2023.

As per an official, the footfall this season was the highest ever. “We had 3.6 lakh tourists visiting the garden last year and this year it saw an increase making it the highest ever footfall in the history of this garden”, the official told GNS adding the period of tulip bloom this season lasted for 33 days, as compared to last year’s 27 day period, largely due to  mild weather conditions. 

“There were 68 varieties of tulips on display in the garden this season, out of these varieties, four new ones were introduced this year: Hamilton, Sweetheart, Cafe Noir and Christmas Dream”, the official said.

Expressing his satisfaction over the record number of visitors, the official further said the enormous flow of Tourists from within and outside the country motivates us and imbues in us courage to do more to make the visit to the garden a memorable experience. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: The authorities in Kashmir valley have decided to close Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar for the general public from Friday.

The Floriculture Department, in a statement, said that “the bloom was over”.
"As the Tulip Bloom is almost over, the Director Floriculture Kashmir issued a notification stating that the Tulip Garden, Srinagar shall remain closed for the general public w. e. f 21.04.2023, " it said.
A record over 3.65 lakh tourists including locals had visited the garden since its opening on March 19 surpassing the all-time previous record. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: The Tulip Garden in central Kashmir's district Srinagar has attracted over 1.58 lac visitors including local, national and international tourists in the first 12 days of its opening, officials said.

The Assistance Floriculture Officer (AFO), and the ground level in-charge of Tulip Garden Inam-ul-Rehman, told GNS that the (Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip) Garden, garden was thrown open to the public on March 20, 2023, and since then, it has turned out to be a major attraction for tourists, who are flocking to the garden to witness the vibrant colors of the tulips. “A total of 1.58 lakh people visited tulip garden Srinagar in the first 12 days and which includes local, national and international visitors.”

Rehman further said that the number of visitors has exceeded expectations and the garden is receiving a good response from all across. “We are happy to see that people are showing keen interest in visiting the garden. The tulips are in full bloom and visitors are enjoying the scenic beauty of the garden to the hilt,” he added.

“The garden has been set up with over 1.6 million blossomed bulbs of 68 colourful varieties, which have been imported from different parts of the world. The garden also features several other varieties of flowers, including Daffodils, Mascaries and Hisins.

The authorities have announced that they have made special arrangements for the safety and convenience of the visitors. The main facilities they offer include garden clearance and maintenance, and in addition to this, other public utilities including adequate drinking water facilities and rain shelters.

The famous Garden located on the foothills of Zabarwan Range in Srinagar along the banks of the Dal Lake is expected to remain open till April end, with the authorities expecting more visitors in the coming days. (GNS)