JAMMU, October 12, 2026 – Despite a visible push for tourism-related infrastructure development in the Bani hill station of Kathua district over the past five years, three of its most prominent natural attractions—Seven Waterfalls, Dull Bajoe Lake, and Badnota Waterfall—remain entirely ignored by authorities. According to official records, the government has yet to even formulate a basic development proposal for these significant sites.
While the Bani-Basohli Tourism Development Authority and the Billawar-Duggan Tourism Development Authority have executed numerous projects—including the construction of viewpoints, parks, selfie points, and tourist shelters along the Basohli-Bani-Sarthal route—these major natural attractions are strikingly absent from any current or upcoming development plans.
The official documents of the Tourism Department reveal that these three sites are not held up at an approval stage, nor are they awaiting funding or undergoing feasibility assessments; they are simply not part of any proposal presently under consideration.
This glaring omission raises serious questions about the government’s strategic approach to tourism in the region. Observers and local sources point out that while scattered individual works like the development of the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Bani, the installation of signages, and the creation of selfie points at Sat-Serra and Siara are ongoing, the failure to capitalize on major natural assets limits Bani’s potential to emerge as a premier eco-tourism destination.
“Infrastructure at selected locations can certainly improve visitor facilities, but the absence of a proposal for major natural attractions limits the possibility of developing them as identifiable tourism destinations,” noted an informed source. The source added that Bani holds immense untapped potential for nature, adventure, and offbeat tourism, which requires a cohesive, destination-based strategy rather than piecemeal infrastructure development.
The neglect of Bani’s Seven Waterfalls, Dull Bajoe Lake, and Badnota Waterfall echoes a wider, recurring issue across the Jammu region. Similar scenic spots in Kishtwar, Rajouri, and Poonch continue to suffer from a lack of sustained, planned development, highlighting a gap between identifying tourist potential and effectively converting it into well-connected and promoted tourist hubs.
Published by True Roots Media Network