Bhalessa- A neglected tourist destination By Sadaket Malik If the necessary tourism infrastructure is put in place in Bhalessa, there is ample scope to get the average tourist to consider staying back for as long as a fortnight; which would bring significant revenue for the area. There is enough potential to hold back the tourist in Bhalessa and areas around for at least a fortnight. Imagine how much good it could do to the local economy. Places of pilgrimage if promoted will help bring the tourist to these areas even while the infrastructure is being developed. Of course a Tourism Development Authority would have to be established. Bhalessa presents a beautiful picturesque as well as attractive field on the way to Padri Top which could be promoted as a health resort as well as a picnic spot. This is the conncetion line between Bhalessa and Bhaderwah. An everlasting glacier, Bal Padri is just 15Km from Padri Top/Dhaar/Khanni Top on foot/horse back from the Bhaderwah side. It is on huge heights and one could find large snow fields here even in the month of June. Enough scope exists for gandola rope ways. Bhadherwah to Kansar could be a good gandola venture with Khanni Top, Padri Dhaar, Nagni MataTemple and Jaai Valley lying around Bhalessa. It is requested to send a team to the area to guage the potential of tourism in Bhalessa so that the area might be brought under the preview of the noble schemes of the Government of India. The area is still witnessing the step motherly treatment on the part of the successive governments at state and central level. There are areas like Padri which is having an ample scope for the lasting tourism destination for the country. It is astonishing that the area is still away from the so called slogans of tourism deaprtment of the Union of India