Govt gears up to keep Sonamarg open for visitors during winter

Ganderbal, Nov 21: The administration is gearing up to keep the famed health resort Sonamarg open during the winter.Every year during winter, the Sonamarg health resort remains closed for traffic
movement due to heavy snowfall and avalanches at several places along the road from Gagengar up to Sonamarg and lack of basic facilities. However, in the past couple of years, the authorities put in efforts to keep this tourist destination open for a maximum period during winter by improving infrastructure. “However, with progress on the construction

tunnel for connectivity by allowing traffic through the escape tunnel during winter. Directions have been passed to the tunnel construction agency to ensure all safety measures are well in place,” official sources said. A series of meetings with the district administration, Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA), and all the stakeholders including hoteliers and traders have been held n the recent past during which the authorities review the preparations for keeping the Sonamarg open during winter.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri visited Sonamarg recently where he chaired a highlevel meeting of officers to review winter preparedness for keeping Sonamarg open during the winter.

Threadbare discussion was held regarding the necessary preparations and arrangements including water, electricity, health, road, fire service, snow clearing operation, mobile communication, traffic management, firewood, and other related facilities to be put in place for keeping Sonamarg open during the winter. To promote Sonamarg as a winter tourist destination, Bidhuri said that it was imperative to have all facilities available to the tourists, especially heating arrangements in hotels, water, and electricity besides a proper plan for its promotion at all levels as a winter destination so that tourists could have the best experience here. He was also briefed about the preparations for allowing traffic through the escape tunnel during winter.

“The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir also emphasised the strict adherence to safety protocols and the implementation of robust disaster management and safety plans,” officials said.
They said that departments like Jal Shakti and KPDCL had almost completed the work of underground laying pipes and lines and work would be commissioned soon. To provide electricity to the establishment at Sonamarg during the winters, work for underground cabling to be laid through the Z-Morh tunnel tube is almost in the final stage.

Meanwhile, the hoteliers have said that they were ready to operate in winter provided the government provides all the basic amenities like road connectivity, uninterrupted power supply, and water supply."We are ready to cooperate with the government to carry our business during winter but the government should make requisite arrangements so that we don't suffer,” Shahzad Rasool, a hotelier said.

He said that necessary arrangements should be made to ensure that the road clearance work was carried out on a war footing basis, besides uninterrupted water and electricity should also be provided.

Rasool also demanded that a fire tender should be put in place for emergencies.
“Some events like the winter festival should be organised to give wide publicity to Sonamarg to attract tourists,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SDA Ilyas Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that the preparations were on to keep Sonamarg open during winter. “The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, district administration Ganderbal, SDA, and all the stakeholders are working to keep Sonamarg open and make it a winter destination too. Most of the major works are done and hopefully,some events will also be held at Sonamarg,” Ahmad said.He said that they had requested the hoteliers to keep
their properties open so that tourists visiting Sonamarg do not face any inconvenience.