Kathua, Sept. 20 -- Tourist footfall has started rising in Sarthal, a picturesque destination in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, following improvements in road connectivity that have made the mountainous tourist spot easier to access.

Drone visuals from Bani in Kathua show the scenic landscape around the area as more visitors head towards Sarthal, which is surrounded by towering mountains, lush green forests and valleys.

Tourists visiting Sarthal said the journey has become considerably easier compared with around a decade ago, when the road to the destination was unpaved, narrow and badly damaged at several points.

They said the poor condition of the road had made travel difficult and discouraged many people from visiting despite...