Sonamarg’s Shutkari residents in demand repair of link road

Ganderbal, June 15: Residents of Shutkari village in the picturesque tourist destination of Sonamarg have urged the authorities to macadamize the dilapidated internal link road leading to their locality. The road, which connects the village to the main Sonamarg route, has become a source of daily hardship for commuters, especially during rainfall.
Located just two kilometers before Sonamarg and merely 400 meters from the Sonamarg Tunnel, Shutkari holds a strategic position on the tourist map. However, locals allege that their pleas for road repair have fallen on deaf ears. According to them, the internal road was macadamized three years ago, but sustained heavy damage during the construction of the Sonamarg Tunnel flyover, when debris was dumped onto the road.
“The road has since remained in a deteriorated state, and even light rains turn it muddy and slippery, making it difficult for residents to travel,” said a local resident. “Patients, school-going children, and elderly people suffer the most.”
Despite the fact that Shutkari falls within the jurisdiction of the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA), locals say no effort has been made to repair or resurface the road. The residents have now made a fervent appeal to the MLA of Kangan, the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal, the Executive Engineer of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, and the Chief Executive Officer of the SDA to take immediate action.
They have stressed that swift macadamization of the road is essential to improve access, support daily life, and ensure safe travel for both residents and the increasing number of tourists heading toward Sonamarg.