Srinagar: It cost 26 innocent lives for the Anantnag district administration in Jammu and Kashmir to finally wake up and fast-track an all-weather metalled road between Pahalgam and the Baisaran meadows.
According to sources, the road was planned several years ago. However, the plan was put on the back burner by successive governments in the state due to their populist approach. Officials in Pahalgam now say that the project is being given high priority and the road would be completed in the shortest possible time.
The picturesque Baisaran meadows, described by some as a ‘Mini Switzerland’, is 6.5 km from Pahalgam town. It can only be accessed on foot or through a pony ride. A pony ride from Pahalgam to Baisaran through the existing dirt track takes about 40-50 minutes. A trek takes more time.
Officials admit that the ‘ponywallahs’, who form an influential chunk of the electorate, have vehemently objected to any attempts by governments to construct a proper road from Pahalgam to Baisaran. Local politicians, over the years, have pandered to this vote bank, without considering the consequences.
The general belief is that a proper road to Baisaran will severely impact the earnings of the ‘ponywallahs’, for whom tourists are the sole source of livelihood. Once a metalled road is constructed, tourists can be driven straight to the meadows in their cars.
Intelligence agencies now say that the terrorists selected the Baisaran meadows as security forces would take time to reach the spot. And that is exactly what happened. After killing 26 persons, most of them tourists from across the country, on the afternoon of April 22, the terrorists had enough time to escape. It took security forces an hour to reach Baisaran after receiving the first call.
“An hour was enough time to escape, as the attack had been planned well in advance. By the time the security forces reached the spot, the terrorists were far away. It would have taken the forces some more time to assess the situation and then launch a pursuit. This was exactly what the terrorists wanted. Secondly, they also knew that those they had left seriously injured would die of blood loss and other factors due to the lack of connectivity,” an official said.
