CONSTITUENCYSPEAKS:Tangmarg voters’ rally for sustainable growth, strong leadership, & secure fu-ture

Srinagar, Aug 29: With the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections fast approaching, voters in the Tangmarg Assembly Constituency, located in Baramulla district, are setting high ex-pectations for their future representative. The focus is on the promotion of tourism, efficient resource management, and the establishment of a university near the Babareshi Shrine.
Tourism stakeholders and local businessmen are calling for a leader who can elevate the tour-ism industry in Gulmarg and Tangmarg to create sustainable job opportunities for the youth. Ishfaq Ahmad, a resident of Tangmarg, emphasized the potential of local resources that re-main underutilized. “The tourism industry here should be local-centric, and its benefits should reach the surrounding villages of Tangmarg and Gulmarg,” he stated. Ahmad also advocated for offering leased land to locals in Gulmarg at concessionary rates to help them establish ventures, hotels, and restaurants, thereby boosting local livelihoods.
Sanitation issues and the lack of proper solid waste management in the Gulmarg tourist re-sort have been highlighted as significant concerns by local shopkeepers and residents. “There is growing resentment due to poor sanitation and inadequate waste management,” Ahmad remarked, urging the need for immediate attention to these issues.
In addition to tourism, the local residents have voiced their demand for a university near the Babareshi Shrine, modeled after Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri. They ar-gue that the shrine’s significant revenue could be invested in establishing this educational in-stitution.
Khursheed Ahmad, another local resident, raised concerns about the Nalla Ferozpora, a vital water source used for both drinking and irrigation. He called for protective measures against illegal extraction of stones and sand, which threaten the stream. “In 1986, the government promised to construct a dam on the Nalla, but that promise remains unfulfilled,” he noted.
Agriculture and horticulture, crucial to the region, are also at the forefront of voter concerns. The constituency’s land is not particularly suitable for rice cultivation, making agriculture and horticulture the mainstay for many. Special attention is needed for Tehsil Kawarhama, which relies heavily on these sectors and requires better road connectivity.
Educated yet unemployed youth in Tangmarg are looking for a candidate who will prioritize job creation. As the election draws near, the younger voters stress that the incoming repre-sentative must address long-standing issues that have been unresolved for a decade.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election is set to be held in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1, with results to be declared on October 4. Voters in Tangmarg are clear in their demands and expect their voices to be heard in the new assembly.