*Source of funding for Rs 27 cr project yet to be identified
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 15: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the Government about initiating steps for tourism promotion in Jammu region, the apathy on the part of Border Roads Organization (BRO) and Roads and Buildings Department is discouraging tourists from visiting Sanasar, which is also called ‘mini-Gulmarg’, as the road leading to this picturesque spot is in pitiable condition since long.
Situated at an altitude of 2050 meters above sea level and just 17 kilometers from Patnitop, Sanasar is one of the major tourist attraction places of Jammu region because of varied reasons. Owing to the awe-inspiring natural environment of forests and meadows, Sanasar is best suited for paragliding, parasailing and hot-air ballooning.
It is also promoted as ‘mini-Gulmarg’ by the Department of Tourism as it has Gulmarg like qualities—it is at a moderate elevation allowing both summer and winter adventurous activities. Because of its enchanting beauty, Sanasar is preferred choice for all those tourists who visit Patnitop.
However, the road leading to this picturesque spot is in pitiable condition because of non-serious approach of Border Roads Organization (BRO) and Roads and Buildings Department of the State, which are supposed to maintain 17 kilometer stretch. The maintenance of first 10 kilometer falls in the domain of BRO and remaining is the responsibility of Roads and Buildings Department.
Both these agencies have never paid any serious attention towards proper maintenance of the road thereby discouraging the tourists from visiting Sanasar, official sources said, adding “the entire road is full of potholes and at many places the width of the road is not sufficient even for crossing of two vehicles because of boulders which have come down from the slopes”.
“These agencies are only filling muck whenever the potholes become deep and blacktopping has not been done for the past quite long time”, sources further said, adding “generally it is seen that tourists after travelling few kilometers on this road return to Patnitop in view of worst condition of the road”.
Disclosing that Ramban district administration has reprimanded the BRO a number of times, sources said, “recently senior officers of this Central Government agency conducted inspection of the road but it is still not clear when the work will begin to improve the condition of stretch which falls in the domain of BRO”.
Even Roads and Buildings Department has prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) whereby concreting of the road instead of blacktopping has been proposed at a cost of Rs 27.27 crore but source of funding has yet not been identified, sources further said, adding “it is a matter of concern that neither BRO is paying serious attention towards improvement of condition of road nor Government has cleared the project prepared by R&B Department”.
“It seems that the tall claims about promotion of tourism in Jammu region are only aimed at befooling the common masses otherwise improvement of condition of 17 kilometers long road is not a big issue to be ignored for years together”, sources remarked and asked how the Government can ignore the fact that proper road connectivity is imperative for attracting tourists towards a particular spot.
An officer of the Tourism Department confirmed that majority of the tourists return after travelling few kilometers on Sanasar road because of its poor condition. “We have plans to create view-points on this road but the same would help in attracting tourists only when condition of road is improved”, he added.
“Several VIPs have visited this place during the past some months but none of them found it appropriate to play their role in getting the condition of this road improved”, he regretted.
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