Srinagar, Sep 11, KNT: Sonamarg, the world-famous tourist destination in Kashmir Valley, continues to lag behind in planned development as the Sonamarg Development Authority has not been handed over the notified land even 18 years after a government order was issued for its transfer.
On July 25, 2007, the Revenue Department had issued order number Rev(S) 256 of 2007, directing transfer of 7,674 kanals and 17 marlas of state land to the Sonamarg Development Authority. The purpose was to promote tourism infrastructure, support the local economy, and implement eco-friendly projects. However, despite repeated reminders, neither demarcation nor formal handover of the land has taken place.
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Sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that although the Authority has built some structures and parks on identified sites, the land has not been legally transferred in its name. The Authority, established in 2003, has also failed to set up a permanent office and continues to function from a temporary space in the Labour Department building.
The absence of land demarcation has provided scope for encroachments, with locals, investors, and influential persons allegedly occupying portions of the land. Illegal constructions have mushroomed at several sites, while monitoring from the Revenue Department or the Authority remains ineffective. This has raised serious concerns of environmental degradation in the fragile Himalayan region.
Sonamarg, known as the “Meadow of Gold,” lies at an altitude of 8,950 feet and is home to rare flora, fauna, glaciers, and the Sindh River. Tourist attractions like Thajiwas Glacier, Lashpathri, Sarbal, and Vishansar draw lakhs of visitors annually. Yet unregulated tourism, traffic congestion, waste mismanagement, and unchecked constructions are putting the valley under severe ecological stress.
Several development projects, including an Agro-Tourism Park, Adventure Tourism Zone, Waste Management System, hiking trails, and an information center, have remained on paper due to non-availability of land. Tourism analysts argue that had the land been handed over on time, Sonamarg could have emerged as a world-class destination on the lines of Gulmarg or Pahalgam.
Locals associated with tourism, including horsemen, hotel owners, and traders, say the administrative delay has blocked investments, reduced tourist facilities, and adversely affected their earnings.
Environmentalists, tourism experts, and residents have urged the government to complete the demarcation process without further delay, legally transfer the land to the Authority, and establish an empowered “Sonamarg Management Board” for transparent and speedy execution of projects.
According to official sources, despite repeated communications from the Sonamarg Development Authority to the Additional Commissioner Revenue, district authorities, and the Revenue Department, the 7,674 kanals and 17 marlas of state land notified in 2007 have not been provided. The prolonged delay, they said, continues to hamper the functioning and growth of the Authority. [KNT]
