Jammu (Next Kashmir): Jammu is gearing up to become a prominent hub for paragliding activities. The Directorate of Tourism in Jammu has been actively working to promote adventure tourism by initiating paragliding activities several months ago. However, due to the unavailability of trained local paragliders, the program could not be sustained consistently.
Subsequently, paragliders were brought in from Himachal Pradesh to kickstart the activities, but it proved to be an expensive endeavor. Now, the Directorate of Tourism in Jammu is sending 22 young enthusiasts to Arunachal Pradesh for a comprehensive paragliding training course.
The areas of Danoa and Poonch (Riasi) in Jammu have been identified as potential paragliding spots. Upon arrival, tourists will engage in paragliding experiences, soaring through the skies. The primary challenge in maintaining paragliding activities in the Jammu Division is the scarcity of trained individuals.
As a result, the Directorate of Tourism had requested young talent from the district level to participate in the Combined Paragliding Course. In the first phase, 22 individuals will be sent for training in Dirang, Chagwali, and Seppa (Arunachal Pradesh) from October 16 to November 2, 2023, for P1, P2, and P3 paragliding courses. The second batch is scheduled from February 21 to March 9, 2024.
The National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) will provide the necessary equipment, accommodation, meals, and transportation for the youth sent to Arunachal Pradesh. The aim is to train local youth as pilot paragliders to boost paragliding activities in the region, leading to increased employment opportunities.
Efforts have been underway to initiate paragliding activities in some locations for some time now. Sangeeta Mehta, Joint Director of the Department of Tourism, expressed optimism about the potential of paragliding
