GANDERBAL: With tourist rush picking up to various destinations in Kashmir, famous health resort Sonamarg wears a deserted look as it is still cut off due to heavy snow on the road enroute to it. The officials of BEACON, responsible for the maintenance of Sgr-Sonamarg road said that the snow will be cleared from Sonamarg road by 15th March. The Srinagar-Sonamarg road was closed in December last year following heavy snowfall in the area.
The road en route to Sonamarg is also avalanche prone. The continuous closure of the Sonamarg Road has disappointed a large number of tourists who had come a long way to see the health resort. “We have visited every tourist destination except Sonamarg. It is disappointing that the concerned authorities have failed to clear the road,” said a tourist Anil Verma of Mumbai. Authorities are allowing tourists to move towards Gagangir, which is 8 kms before Sonamarg as the snow on the road leading to Sonamarg is accumulated with 8-10 feet of snow.
The road en route to Sonamarg is also avalanche prone. Chief Engineer BEACON , Brig A K Das claimed that the snow clearance operation on Sonamarg road will be started by 15th March. " The snow clearance operation on Sonamarg road will be started by 15th of this month " , CE said adding the Sonamarg Road will be reopened in mid April this year. Pertinently the snow clearance on Sonamarg road was started on 8th of March last year however due to delayed heavy snowfall in the area BEACON couldn't start the process yet.