Protesters seek tunnel at Sadhna pass

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 8

Thousands of inhabitants of the Karnah valley in north Kashmir today marched towards the Teetwal crossing point on the Line of Control to press for their demand for construction of a tunnel at the Sadhna pass on the Kupwara-Tangdhar highway, which has emerged as a death trap over the years.

The protest march and dharna near the Teetwal crossing point followed the death of 11 persons in a snow avalanche near the Sadhna Top on Friday.

Over 8,000 people gathered at Tangdhar, the tehsil headquarters of the Karnah valley in the frontier district of Kupwara, and marched towards Teetwal village located on the LOC. “We were stopped by the police and the Army near Chamkot, which is halfway from Teetwal. The protesters, however, refused to budge and it resulted in law and order situation. We also resorted to stone-throwing,” said a protester.

Sources said despite the authorities stopping the march, over 3,000 protesters still managed to assemble near the crossing point. They said the protesters were demanding that the higher authorities visit the spot to ensure that the process for the construction of the tunnel was their priority. “The protesters have threatened that if a tunnel is not constructed, they will be forced to cross over to the other side of the LOC,” the villager said.

Till the late 1990s, the road used to remain close for over six months during the winter and now it remains closed for over a fortnight. Every winter season, it snows over 20 ft at Sadhna and even if the road opens, it is risky to drive to Tangdhar.