Srinagar, April 29 -- "Everything stopped overnight," Aadil says. "We thought 2025 would be our best season since the lockdowns and pandemic. Instead, it's the worst kind of experience."

It has been just over a week since terrorists opened fire on tourists at Baisaran in Pahalgam, killing 26 people in an attack that shocked even a region hardened by conflict.

Within days, the Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the closure of 48 tourist resorts across the Valley. There was no detailed roadmap on how long the closures would last.

Places like Doodhpathri, Bangus, Sinthan Top and Verinag - which have slowly emerged as new favourites among visitors looking for lesser-known escapes - were abruptly closed off. In Srinagar, even the Jami...