JAMMU: It was a landmark day for the Kashmir Valley-and, to a lesser extent, for the people of Jammu-when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the strategically crucial Z-Morh Tunnel, now renamed the Sonamarg Tunnel. This engineering marvel has made the breathtakingly beautiful tourist resort of Sonamarg accessible throughout the year. The Valley welcomed the development with widespread enthusiasm, viewing the tunnel as a step toward prosperity and an economic boon for the tourism industry, which has been the backbone of the region’s economy for decades.
In stark contrast, the reaction in 2017 to the inauguration of the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, India’s longest road tunnel, was muted and loaded with skepticism. Despite the tunnel reducing travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours, the response from the Valley was marked by resentment.
The contrasting responses to these two monumental projects offer a fascinating insight into the evolving psyche of the Valley, shaped by socio-political and historical contingencies.
Reflecting the jubilant mood over the Sonamarg Tunnel’s inauguration, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, enjoying widespread mandate in the Valley, termed the tunnel as a potential game-changer for Sonamarg. The magnificent tourist resort is being envisioned as a new hub for winter sports, akin to the renowned Gulmarg skiing resort.
In 2017, however, skepticism about the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel dominated public discourse. Reports even suggested that some separatist and extremist elements spread unfounded fears, alleging the tunnel’s primary purpose was to transport prisoners from Kashmir to jails outside the region. Such ridiculous narratives used to gain acceptability during those traumatic times of terror and separatist ecosystem.
The stark difference in responses underscores the transformation that has occurred in the Valley following the abrogation of Article 370. In the era of Modi’s Naya Jammu and Kashmir, the Valley has seen significant changes, with peace prevailing over discord and stone-pelting and hartal culture becoming a nightmare of the past.
This shift in mindset can be attributed to the dawning realization of the benefits of peace and progress. Infrastructure projects like the Sonamarg Tunnel are no longer seen as impositions but as catalysts for growth and prosperity.
Tunnels, as symbols of progress, do more than shorten distances-they also strengthen integration, both emotional and physical. They connect people, enhance connectivity, stimulate economic growth, and promote cultural exchange. The Sonamarg and Chenani-Nashri tunnels are technological marvels that have significantly reduced travel time and made life easier for locals and tourists alike.
Sonamarg, the “Meadow of Gold,” remains a jewel of Kashmir’s tourism landscape, while Jammu serves as a crucial gateway to northern frontiers, including Ladakh. By making these regions more accessible, these tunnels have paved the way for greater economic opportunities.
The jubilant response to the Sonamarg Tunnel stands in stark contrast to the demonstrations and skepticism that marked the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel’s inauguration on April 2, 2017. At the time, vested interests exploited public fears to question the necessity of the project. Such resistance was an aberration of an era when skepticism toward large infrastructure initiatives was widespread, driven by mistrust and a polarized socio-political climate.
Today, however, the Valley’s residents appear more forward-looking, seeing infrastructure projects as harbingers of hope and opportunity. Over the past five years, the region has increasingly embraced development as a pathway to economic prosperity and stability.
The welcoming attitude toward development initiatives signals a growing realization among the people of the Valley about the futility of the gun culture that once gripped the Valley. Decades of violence and turmoil rehabilitated graveyards for separatist and soft-separatist political leaders to exploit, while leaving ordinary Kashmiris struggling for survival.
Prime Minister Modi’s vision for a peaceful and prosperous Kashmir hinges on aligning developmental efforts with the aspirations of the people. Whether this vision will be fully realized depends on the people to resist the narratives propagated by those who once thrived on exploiting emotions and divisions.
Post Sonamarg Tunnel inauguration symbolizes connectivity and progress; it also highlights the evolving mindset of the Valley’s people-one that increasingly values peace, growth, and opportunity.
Time alone will prove whether the initiatives of the Modi government for peace, progress and development in the Kashmir Valley are taken in right perspective or the people will again surrender before the narratives being manufactured by the ecosystem, which continues to thrive on emotions of common Kashmiri like leeches.