Tangmarg-Poonch road may end Srinagar-Jammu National Highway vulnerability

Baramulla, Oct 10: A ray of hope, an initiative to bring two regions closer together, is finally set in motion as the authorities are mulling connecting the Kashmir region with Pir Panjal through the Tangmarg-Poonch road.

The move has generated immense enthusiasm among locals, as hundreds of families remain divided between Tangmarg and Poonch.

The decision is expected to have a significant impact on connectivity between the Kashmir and Pir Panjal regions.

This link will not only shorten the distance between the two sides but also serve as a vital alternative, considering the frequent disruptions on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the Mughal Road during winters.

Once completed, the Tangmarg-Poonch road is expected to overcome these seasonal hurdles.

The road has already been completed up to Loran, which falls in the Mandi tehsil of Poonch district.

Loran village lies just 35 km from Poonch town.

While the Mughal Road remains mostly closed during the winter and the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway witnesses frequent traffic disruption, the Tangmarg-Loran-Poonch road is expected to remain accessible throughout the year, making it a viable alternate route between the regions.

The proposed Tangmarg-Loran road spans just 41 km.

Once completed, it could directly connect north Kashmir’s Baramulla district with the Poonch area of the Pir Panjal region, reducing the distance between the two by nearly 159 km.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a local civil society member from Tangmarg, said that the authorities have conducted surveys of three routes in the past for the project.

“These include the Arizal-Loran, Drang-Loran, and Ringawali Tangmarg-Loran routes,” he said.

Ahmad said that one of the surveyed routes, passing through the Tehjan area, includes a vast forest stretch where clearance issues had posed challenges earlier.

“However, the survey route passing through Arizal to Tosmaidan appears more feasible,” he said.

Ahmad is a frequent traveller on this route and has relatives settled on the other side of the Pir Panjal mountains.

He said once the road would be completed, it would bring not only two cultures together but also a vast area on the tourism map, which would eventually transform the economic landscape of the region.

“People living on either side share the same culture and heritage,” he said. “Scores of women from Poonch are married in Budgam and Tangmarg areas. They share the same bond and ethos. That is why the people of this region are eager to see a revival of this medieval link between Poonch, north Kashmir, and central Kashmir.”

Junaid Ahmad, of Loran, Poonch, while praising the decision, said people from Mandi tehsil, including Loran village, comprise a large population of Kashmiri-speaking residents.

“Scores of families in Mandi tehsil have relatives in Budgam and Tangmarg,” he said.

Ahmad said the area has several unexplored natural treasures, including Bandsar, Damamsar, and Gadator lakes.

“Besides, the vast meadows en route to Loran, Poonch, leave an everlasting impression on visitors,” he said.