STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: The Patnitop Hotel & Restaurant Association has drawn the attention of the Jammu and Kashmir administration to serious infrastructure and disaster-management shortcomings at Patnitop, which came to the fore during the recent spell of heavy snowfall between January 23 and 29.
A delegation of the Association, led by its President Lovnesh Rao Sathe and accompanied by Gaurav Gupta, BJP Spokesperson and Convener, International Affairs, called on the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting the hardships faced by tourists, hoteliers and local stakeholders during the snowfall period. The President of the Association apprised the Lieutenant Governor that Patnitop, the only major hill station of Jammu province with year-round tourism potential, witnessed near-complete disruption as key roads remained blocked for days, power supply snapped for nearly 72 hours and water supply was severely affected. The absence of dedicated snow-clearance machinery and heavy equipment resulted in prolonged road closures, particularly on the Kud-Patnitop stretch, leading to massive traffic congestion and stranded visitors.
The Association further informed that several tourists who had arrived prior to the snowfall or through the Gondola were left stranded with minimal administrative support. While some hotels managed partial arrangements using diesel generator sets, fuel shortages compounded the crisis, worsening the situation for both visitors and hospitality operators.
Despite the existence of the Patnitop Development Authority, the delegation noted that on-ground development remains limited. The memorandum stressed the need for urgent measures including permanent deployment of snow-clearance machinery, strengthening of power infrastructure to withstand harsh weather, resolution of chronic water scarcity, development of organized parking facilities, upgradation of key roads, revision of the master plan, establishment of a fire station, market infrastructure, ATM facilities at Patnitop, and dedicated traffic management during peak tourist seasons.
It was also pointed out that Patnitop lacks basic financial infrastructure, as the only ATM facility is located at Kud, forcing tourists to travel downhill which also affect tourism.
The delegation included Vikram Sharma, Vice President; Syed Ali Jaffery, General Secretary; Abhishek Gupta, Secretary; and Executive Members Romesh Gupta, Shiv Magotra and Bhawani Singh.
Responding to the concerns, the Lieutenant Governor assured the delegation that the administration would examine the issues raised on priority. He emphasized that Patnitop is an important tourist destination of Jammu province and said that necessary directions would be issued to the concerned departments to strengthen infrastructure, improve disaster preparedness and ensure better facilities for tourists and local stakeholders. The LG further assured that steps would be taken to prevent recurrence of such hardships in future and to restore tourist confidence in the region.
