The Sonamarg Development Authority has banned vehicular movement on the Sonamarg-Thajiwas road following a direction to this effect issued by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. This road moves through the Thajiwas wildlife sanctuary and Thajiwas glacier.
The HC has also asked the authorities to not allow people to walk through the Sonarmag meadows and to ensure that they instead use the earmarked Pony track. The court observed that the natural beauty of Sonamarg, described as the meadow of gold, is being destroyed due to heavy footfall of tourists.
Shabir Ahmad Raina, chief executive officer of SDA, told the media that he will ensure the orders and directions of the court are implemented without any delay. “We have banned vehicular traffic on the stretch of Sonamarg-Thajiwas,” Shabir told this reporter. Construction work in and around Sonamarg has also been banned.