Srinagar, July 1 -- By Iqbal Ahmad

Kashmir's tourism map has barely changed in decades.

Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg continue to dominate government campaigns, investment plans and visitor itineraries.

Those destinations earned their reputation, though that success has also narrowed official imagination.

Large parts of the valley with exceptional landscapes, rich history and cultural depth remain absent from tourism planning.

Panchal Valley, nestled along the eastern foothills of the Pir Panjal range in Shopian district, stands out as the clearest example of that policy paralysis.

Change has already begun on its own. Completion of the Mughal Road transformed access to the upper Rimbara Valley, drawing growing numbers of domestic v...