Ganderbal, Feb 14, KNT: The Tourism Department has set its sights on developing Sonamarg into the Valley’s second major winter sports destination after Gulmarg, with plans underway to strengthen skiing infrastructure and introduce competitive winter events in a phased manner.
Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajad said Sonamarg’s natural terrain and snow covered slopes make it ideally suited for skiing and other winter sports. He indicated that the department is working to systematically showcase the destination’s potential while expanding facilities to support structured sporting activities.
Around 200 participants, including nearly 180 students from Jammu and Kashmir and others from outside the Union Territory, are currently undergoing training under a 14 day integrated skiing programme. Officials described the response as a positive indicator of growing interest in winter sports across the region.
While reiterating Gulmarg’s position as the country’s winter capital, Sajad said nearby destinations such as Sonamarg possess the capacity to host competitive events in the coming years, provided infrastructure is upgraded in a planned manner.
A drag lift installed at Sonamarg by the cable car corporation is expected to be operationalised on priority. The department is also encouraging local youth to participate in winter sports to create a pool of trained guides and adventure tourism professionals.
The Director said additional infrastructure, including more drag lifts, will be assessed as activities scale up, with the long term objective of establishing Sonamarg as a prominent winter tourism and sports hub in the Valley. [KNT]
