Margan Top: The Margan Top road link connecting Marwah and Warwan valleys of Kishtwar district has been restored temporarily after remaining closed for over five months due to heavy snowfall at the Margan Top and landslides at a few places.
The passengers have been asked to travel with caution and only passengers and small load carriers are allowed to move.
The Margan Top is the only road link connecting a population of over 50,000 in four dozen villages of Marwah and Warwan with nearest town Anantnag over 100 km away.
Thousands of people remained disconnected due to snowfall at Margan Top with the rest of the country for over five months.
Nadeem Ahmad, an employee in GMC Anantnag told Greater Kashmir that the students, employees, patients, and people had no option but to travel on foot to reach Anantnag during the winter.
Locals said the Kishtwar district administration provides helicopter services on concession rates in case of emergency during fair weather in the winter.
They demanded tunnel links between Marwah-Kishtwar and Warwan-Dardpora and said that the tunnel link would end their decades-long miseries and provide round-the-clock road service.
Locals said that this would boost tourism and generate employment.
Rouaf Lone, a social activist from Marwah, told Greater Kashmir that the Warwan and Marwah were beautiful areas with green pastures, forests, and a rivulet of Chenab passing through the valleys.
He said that with tunnel connectivity, the area could tap its huge potential for tourism and generate employment for the people of these “bad pockets” of J&K.