Tourists throng hill stations to enjoy snowfall in Central Kashmir

GANDERBAL — Fresh snowfall in Gagangir and the surrounding hills attracted a large number of tourists from different parts of the country, including local people. Although there were no vacations, a large number of people still travelled to Kashmir to enjoy the snowfall. The upper reaches of the Valley on Wednesday experienced a fresh spell of snowfall while rains lashed the plains, dipping the day temperature sharply.

Sonamarg, Gagangir, Naranag and other high altitude areas in Central Kashmir received a fresh spell of snowfall on the intervening night, while rains lashed the plains.

Traders, hotel owners and other workers were happy to see tourists here. They were, however, complaining about the prevailing mess in the form of vehicular traffic jams on the way to the hill stations, mostly in Main Chowk Ganderbal and Kangan, due to which frequent traffic jams were witnessed.

Locals blamed the local government, saying that road widening was to be completed before last year’s Amarnath Yatra, but it is still incomplete.

Meanwhile, no tourist is allowed to go forward from Gagangir to Sonamarg, officials told The Kashmir Pulse.

“With the improvement in weather conditions, scores of tourists are visiting this area, but they become disappointed due to the lack of facilities at the spot,” the vendors in the area said.

Gagangir is a village eight kilometres ahead of the famous summer resort of Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.

“I am a graduate, and due to unemployment in the Valley, I am working here in Gagangir as a sledge runner and by the grace of Almighty, I am earning a good income for my family, but there is a need for attention from authorities,” a local sledge worker said.

The village is abuzz with a heavy rush of tourists these days as the road leading to Sonamarg has been closed for all types of vehicular traffic by authorities due to the heavy snowfall and the risk of landslides en route.

Hundreds of tourists who come to visit Sonamarg have to return from Gagangir due to the road closure. But according to the tourists, they are enjoying the beautiful locales of Gagangir.

The locals are dependent on the tourism sector and have urged the government to develop the area and make it attractive.

“Our area, Sonamarg, is totally dependent on the tourism season (during summers) and we remain idle during winters. But for the last couple of days, thousands of tourists visited here, and we had a sigh of relief as we offered them sledge and horse riding to earn a handsome amount so as to sustain our family. However, the lack of facilities is disappointing the visitors,” Aijaz Ahmad, a local sledge provider, said.

Local youths as well as tourists who visit Gagangir have just a few words to comment after visiting this area, that is, “Beautiful place to see in winter, but half the time ends on travel due to the bad condition of roads.”

“Same is the case here in Naranag, an old temple view area, a beautiful archaeological view and Gangbal, one of the most attractive trekking places in the world, which has a potential but needs the attention of local people and government for making it a tourist place,” a youth, Sheikh Anees, said.

The ruined temples in Naranag are said to be among the oldest and a good learning step for archaeological students.

Meanwhile, Tehsildar Kangan said that they have started a drive to destroy all such structures which are becoming hindrances on the National Highway-I. This will continue for a few more days. He also said that all of the landowners have already been paid the compensation, barring a few who will be paid within a couple of days.