Baramulla, Jul 14 (KNO): Poor sanitation and inadequate civic infrastructure have cast a shadow over Baba Reshi's religious and tourism significance, with traders and local stakeholders alleging official neglect despite the revered shrine attracting thousands of devotees and tourists every day.
Stakeholders told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that heaps of garbage have accumulated around the shrine complex and adjoining market, while poor maintenance has affected the overall experience of visitors.
They claimed that Baba Reshi receives nearly 20,000 visitors on busy days, but sanitation arrangements have failed to keep pace with the growing footfall.
"The authorities are paying no attention to this destination. While the Waqf chairperson has initiated developmental works at the shrine, the employees responsible for maintenance are not performing their duties. Garbage remains scattered across the area, causing inconvenience to devotees and tourists," they said.
The stakeholders said the deteriorating condition of the shrine surroundings is affecting Babareshi's reputation as one of Kashmir's prominent religious and tourist destinations.
"People are now reluctant to visit after seeing the unhygienic conditions. The drainage system is defunct and basic facilities are missing. The Waqf collects rent from shopkeepers, but sanitation, public washrooms and infrastructure continue to remain neglected," they alleged.
They also expressed concern over the disposal of waste from public washrooms, claiming that it flows into a nearby stream which serves several downstream localities.
President of the local market association, Bilal Ahmad, said repeated representations to the Waqf authorities have yielded little response.
"We have requested the Waqf authorities several times to improve sanitation and upgrade the infrastructure. We have been forced to highlight these issues through the media because action is taken only after public attention is drawn," he said.
Bilal said traders had also staged peaceful protests and observed a market shutdown to press for their demands.
"We suspended business to register our protest. It was only after police intervention and assurances that we resumed our activities. Despite that, our concerns remain unresolved," he said.
Meanwhile, repeated attempts to seek a response from the Waqf administration remained unsuccessful as the officials did not respond to phone calls from the news agency.
Located about 13 kilometres from the famous ski resort of Gulmarg, Baba Payamuddin Reshi, popularly known as Baba Reshi, is one of Kashmir's most revered Sufi shrines. Dating back to the 15th century, the shrine attracts thousands of devotees and tourists throughout the year, making it an important centre of faith as well as a key destination on Kashmir's tourism circuit—(KNO)