Sonmarg (J&K): There is a surge of frustration among hotel owners due to the lack of basic facilities and the non-resumption of traffic from the Z-Morh tunnel in Sonamarg, a popular tourist destination in the Ganderbal district.
In October this year, the divisional commissioner of Kashmir announced that Sonamarg will be kept open for tourists during the winter season this year. There was a consequent wave of happiness among hotel owners and trade professionals in Sonamarg. Most had completed winter arrangements and started booking tourists.
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However, in the meantime, the authorities of the Z-Morh Tunnel refused to allow traffic through it, thereby largely disappointing the hotel owners and business professionals in Sonmarg. They were forced to cancel the bookings made by the tourists.
The general manager of the tunnel, VK Pandey said that the tunnel is not fully ready as there is still a lot of work to be done inside the tunnel. "The tunnel safety expert team, after checking the tunnel, has said that the traffic movement through is absolutely unsafe. We can't risk the lives of tourists," he said.
The shopkeepers' union here expressed their disappointment, making several accusations against the district administration and the officials of the tunnel. They demanded that the divisional commissioner of Kashmir seek an answer from the officials of the tunnel as soon as possible.
