Sangerwani villagers demand road link to Shidak

Pulwama, July 14: Residents of Sangerwani village in Pulwama, an area fast emerging as a hotspot for sightseers drawn by its natural beauty, have renewed their demand for a motorable road to Shidak, a revered religious site nestled in the upper reaches of the district.Tufail Khan, a local resident, told Rising Kashmir that since April this year, over 50,000 people have visited Namblan, Kherot, Gadder, and other scenic offbeat destinations in the area.“Most people prefer Namblan, a stunning green meadow crisscrossed by pristine streams and surrounded by tall pine trees,” he said, adding that on the previous Sunday alone, more than 2,000 visitors from across Kashmir flocked to the spot.However, he lamented that Namblan and other picturesque locations, including Shidak, lack proper motorable road access.“We want a motorable road connecting Anderwali to Shidak,” Tufail said, explaining that such a road would significantly improve access to these beautiful, lesser-known destinations in Sangerwani’s upper reaches.He pointed out that Shidak, located about 9 kilometers from Anderwali, holds historical and religious significance, especially for the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities.“Every year, thousands of devotees visit the shrine of Janbaaz Wali Balkhi at Shidak to pay their respects,” he added.Riyaz Ahmad Kohli, former Sarpanch of Sangerwani, noted that visitors earlier had to trek on foot to reach Namblan.“But now local residents have started providing horses for visitors to ride up to Namblan,” he said, adding that the community has long been demanding a road to Shidak.He said that they have submitted a fresh demand under FRA which according to him is under the authorities’ consideration.MLA Rajpora, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir, told Rising Kashmir that he raised the demand for a motorable road to Shidak in the last session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. “I am actively pursuing the matter,” he said, explaining that the proposed road requires clearance from the forest department.“A DPR for the road has already been prepared,” he said, expressing hope that the longstanding demand of the locals would be fulfilled.