Asia’s largest Tulip Garden will be thrown open for visitors today

Srinagar: Asia’s largest Tulip Garden will be thrown open to the public on Thursday, marking the beginning of the new tourism season in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tulip Garden also known as Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan Range with an overview of Dal Lake was inaugurated in 2007 by the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir State Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Spread over 30 hectares in the foothills of snow-clad Zabarwan Range, the idea of the garden was conceived to advance the tourism season in the Valley by two months.

Tulip Garden incharge Inam Rehman Sofi said the department has planted nearly 15 lakh bulbs of different varieties this year.

The official said 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 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.

However, the garden will be opened after the gap of two years as it remained closed for the visitors due to the coronavirus lockdown last year.

Officials said the Floriculture Department has put in place adequate measures to ensure the implementation of the standard operating procedures in letter and spirit.

No visitor would be allowed to enter the garden without the face masks, the officials said, adding that thermal scanners and sanitisers would be available for them at the garden.