Lack of basic amenities in Sonamarg dampens leisure trips

Ganderbal, Jul 29: Popular tourist destination in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district Sonamarg, thronged by hundreds of tourists every day is facing issue of proper basic amenities including sanitation, parking, public toilets.

The tourists visiting this famous preferred tourist destination are complaining about the pack of basic facilities at despite the fact that every vehicle making its entry to Sonamarg is charged with entry fee by the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA).

Visitors complained that this famous tourist resort with an advantage of being on the way to the famous Thajiwas Glacier, lacks public toilets that causes immense inconvenience to the visitors.

Tourists have expressed disappointment with the lack of basic facilities in Sonamarg. Specifically, they cite issues like inadequate sanitation, a shortage of public toilets, and a general lack of infrastructure as detracting from the experience. This dissatisfaction is particularly pronounced given Sonamarg’s status as a major tourist draw and its importance as a gateway to Ladakh and a base camp for the Amarnath Yatra. “The Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) responsible for the maintenance and overall development of the area have not bothered to even install sufficient garbage bins on the road side” said one visitor.

Meanwhile, officials in the Sonamarg Development Authority said that they have installed a mobile toilet facility near Thajiwas for the convenience of the visitors.

“In a continued effort to enhance public amenities and improve the tourist infrastructure in Sonamarg, the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) has installed a second mobile toilet unit at the end point of the Thajiwas trail. This new installation comes after the successful placement of the first mobile toilet at the starting point of Thajiwas, providing much-needed sanitation facilities for the growing number of tourists visiting the region” they said.