BY: Aajaz Dar
Kashmir, a name that is no alien in any part of the world. Known for its scenic beauty, snow capped mountains, green meadows, lush green forests, gushing waters, and breezy weather, Kashmir has always been a major tourist fantasy for millions around the world. If , it doesn’t tantamount to exaggeration, Tral in district Pulwama may rightly be called as Mini-Kashmir for it embodies everything that Kashmir is known for , naturally.
A few picnic spots like Dilnag, hot springs approximately 82 in number, orchards blooming with spring flowers, snow capped mountains surrounding it are some of the few takeaways from Tral. Tral doesn’t lag behind in literacy too. It is one of the top literate towns in Kashmir despite being marred in conflict. Tral has never shied away from gaining education even at the cost of their lives.
Tral is one of the places which represent the diversity of Kashmir. Here people belonging to different religions have been living in harmony, peace and cooperation since the ages with the current times being no exception. But, with this demography, geography and rich potential Tral has been neglected by the successive government. No adequate attention has been paid towards the development, modernization and prosperity of the sub-district.
The big demographic size of this sub-district makes it front runner to have a Women’s College, Polytechnic College, University Campus, Fruit Mandi and an Ultra Modern Hospital. When the towns and places with much lesser population and potential have been provided with such facilities the Tral sub-district has been denied these.
Developing Taarsar, Maarsar & Nagabern as a tourist resort is long overdue but all the demands of the people of the area have fallen to the deaf ears of the concerned authorities. Such development could not only have improved the economic conditions of the people in the adjoining areas but government could also have gained good amount of revenue.
It would be a great service towards the people of the area if the issues that have been left unaddressed by the successive governments are taken up in this government. These issues include the construction of Pastuna-Khrew road which provides easy excess to many villages of the area with the rest of the state. It could save lot of time and resources and could ensure faster development and modernization of the area. Another road which needs immediate attention is Tral-Pahalgam Road.. It will not only benefit the people of Tral, but will become an alternative route between Srinagar and Anantnag. However because of apathy of administration, both the roads are waiting for forest clearance for last more than three years.
Tral is a beautiful sub-district with many such areas which could be developed as tourist destinations, and attractions. This could be done much easily if Tral is sanctioned a separate Tourism Development Authority. The authority could would with much greater vigor to promote and develop all the above mentioned areas as famous tourist destinations with modern facilities. The government should look into it and establish the authority as soon as possible.
In this age of knowledge and enlightenment and to universalize education, it is imperative upon the government to establish sufficient educational institutions at places where maximum number of people could get benefited. The people of Tral feel betrayal for not sanctioning a Women’s college in the area. Establishing Women’s College in Tral could ease out the conditions for the female folk of the area who could gain knowledge with much ease as is the case with the women of the rest of the places of the state.
Some of the very important towns and villages of Tral are without basic amenities of life. A very old demand is that of establishing Power Receiving Station and a modern hospital at Aripal and a Primary Health Centre and Higher secondary institution at Jawahirpora Laam. All these demands have been neglected so far but under the current administration under able administrators it is expected that the demands are looked into.
The amount of fruits that are produced in the area makes Tral a fit place for establishment of a Fruit Mandi. On account of lack of it the fruit growers of the area face tremendous difficulties and fail to get adequate returns of their produce. Hope this government fulfills this long pending demand of the area
Tral- Aripal road is in extremely dilapidated condition, all commuters r facing lot of problems. Massive pot holes. Authorities least interested. The road has not been macadamized in about 5 years and now that a project has been approved to widen and black top it the work is too slow for their liking.
It is once again reiterated that Tral is one of the highly educated and politically conscious areas of the state. But, the negligence by the successive governments has not brought the development and modernization which is in line with the level of education and political consciousness and requirements of the people.
All the expectations now rest with the current administration of the state. Hope the administration Headed by Honorable Governor Mr Satya Pal Malik, young Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah and Additional Deputy Commissioner Tral Shabir Ahmad Raina adopts a proactive approach in dealing with the problems of the people. In case of a favourable response from the administration Tral could be developed as a model sub-district with all the modern and ultra modern facilities. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
The author is from Tral area Of Pulwama District. He can be reached at aajazdar@rediffmail.com. Twitter handle @Laamukk
