Opened for public after 4 months, Sonamarg sans electricity, water

Lack of electricity, water and other basic facilities at famed tourist resort Sonamarg, which was opened for the public after four months of winter closure, has irked the visitors and the local business community alike.

“Sonamarg belies government claims about revival of tourismin Kashmir. Though opening of road is good thing but this place lacks allrequired civic amenities,” said president Hoteliers Association Sonamarg,Farooq Ahmed Hafiz

   

He said besides electricity and water, the telephoneconnectivity in the area is also yet to be restored causing inconvenience tothe traders as well as the tourists.

The hoteliers based at this famed tourist resort also ruedthe order of district administration of not allowing any tourist for night stayat Sonamarg till the electricity is restored.

“It is unfortunate that the administration has issued suchorder. As per the PDD officials it will take more than 10-15 days to restoreelectricity at Sonamarg. Should there be no tourist stays till then when allmost all the hotels at the resort have their own power generators,” Hafizasked, urging the deputy commissioner Ganderbal to reconsider the decision ofnot allowing any tourist for night stay at the resort.

The hoteliers have urged authorities to restore basicfacilities including electricity, water supply and communication system atSonamarg immediately on war footing.

” We get few months of business here during summers,adding that the road opening was delayed by near about a month and now therestoration of the basic facilities is taking time that eventually hampers thebusiness,” a local hotelier said.

The road leading to Sonamarg was officially thrown open lastweek for traffic after remaining closed for winters from early December.

However as per the directions from district administrationGanderbal the traffic movement on the Gagangeer-Sonamrag stretch is allowedfrom 11AM to 3PM only till further orders and no vehicle would be allowed tomove further from Sonamarag besides there are orders about not allowing anytourist for night stay at Sonamarg as of now.

Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) power developmentdepartment Kangan, Nissar Ahmed said that due to model code of conduct theycouldn’t do the tendering process for line restoration work, adding that theprocess will be done in few days and hopefully electricity will be restored byfirst week of May.

Deputy commissioner, Ganderbal, Hashmat Ali khan said thatthe orders were issued in view of the non availability of basic facilitiesincluding medical facilities and electricity.

He said that the restoration of electricity and otherfacilities will take only few more days, as the concerned departments have beenasked to carry out the work on priority.

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