Srinagar, Oct 4, KNT: An RTI response has revealed major administrative and developmental gaps within the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA), including the absence of land demarcation despite nearly two decades since the government transferred over 7674 kanals and 17 marlas of land to the authority for the hill station’s planned development.
According to information provided to RTI activist M.M. Shuja under the Right to Information Act, 2005, the SDA continues to function with only five sanctioned posts, supported by 67 casual or daily wagers. The five permanent employees include the Chief Executive Officer, Accounts Officer, Senior Assistant, and two Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) positions. Despite these limited human resources, the SDA oversees all developmental, revenue, and sanitation-related activities in the popular tourist destination.
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The RTI reply as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust, further disclosed that although the government had transferred the land to the SDA in 2007 under Government Order No. Rev(S) 256, no physical demarcation has been carried out to date. This lack of demarcation has complicated land management and retrieval efforts in the ecologically sensitive zone of Sonamarg.
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As per records shared by the SDA, Sonamarg currently has a total of 110 accommodation units, including private and government establishments. These comprise 28 hotels or huts, 47 home stays or guest houses, and 21 restaurants in the private sector, along with 14 government-run dormitories and huts under the Tourism Department, JKTDC, and SDA itself. Collectively, these offer 1231 rooms with a total bed capacity of 2580. However, details of registered Ponywalas, tourist guides, and travel agencies were not provided, as these come under the jurisdiction of the local Assistant Tourism Officer.
On waste management, the SDA reported that it has installed an Electro Magnetic Disintegrator of 11 MT capacity, along with a 5 MT Auto Insta Composter and Segregator at Sarbal Sonamarg at a cost of Rs. 2.40 crore. The facility processes both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste scientifically.
Financially, the RTI response indicated that the SDA has generated significant revenue over the past five years. Revenue figures stand at Rs. 16.36 lakh in 2020, Rs. 35.18 lakh in 2021, Rs. 9.07 lakh in 2022, Rs. 258 lakh in 2023, and Rs. 412.09 lakh in 2024, with Rs. 97 lakh generated till June 2025, taking the total beyond Rs. 830 lakh in five years.
The authority admitted that during the past three years, no new parking projects were taken up. However, an eight-seater public convenience block was constructed at Sarbal in 2022-23 at a cost of Rs. 15.07 lakh, while prefabricated kiosks with public conveniences were established at a cost of Rs. 27.40 lakh. The SDA also stated that no land under forest or wildlife categories falls within its jurisdiction.
Significantly, the RTI reply shows that no budget has been allocated for tourism promotion, road shows, or cultural events in Sonamarg between June 2020 and June 2025. Similarly, there has been no plantation drive, and no new hotels or guest houses have been granted permission during this period.
The SDA further confirmed that action has been taken against hotels and guest houses that violated permission norms, and that a report on such violations has been submitted to the Tourism Department. However, details about the ongoing court case against the SDA were not elaborated.
Tourist inflow data shared by the authority showed steady growth in visitors to Sonamarg: 57,000 in 2020, 3.46 lakh in 2021, 7.17 lakh in 2022, 7.34 lakh in 2023, and 8.90 lakh in 2024. Till June 2025, the number stood at 48,139.
Overall, the RTI exposes both the infrastructural and administrative challenges facing the Sonamarg Development Authority, underscoring the need for stronger governance, better planning, and greater transparency to protect and promote the fragile mountain destination. [KNT]
