Baramulla, Aug 01 (KNO): The picturesque Munddaji village in the Rafiabad area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district enchants visitors with its natural beauty and charm. The place is adorned with breathtaking landscapes, cascading waterfalls and vibrant flora.
However, the visitors rue the lack of infrastructure, roads and other facilities, particularly toilets in the area.
The visitors, who were on a picnic to Munddaji, some 35 kilometres away from Sopore town and around 80 kilometres from Srinagar, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the place has mesmerized them but needs the government’s attention to make it a well-known tourist destination.
“The government must ensure basic infrastructure like accommodation, restaurants and recreational facilities. This will not only attract tourists but also create job opportunities for the locals,” said Manan, a local from main Baramulla.
"The destination, which has been recently put on the tourism map by the local administration, has no toilet facilities; the roads leading to the place are also in dilapidated conditions with big potholes, which makes the journey like a hell,” he added.
Bilal, another visitor from Srinagar said the place has no dustbins at all which “will devastate this beautiful place”. “There is a dire need to preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of the area,” he said, adding that there should be strict regulations in place to regulate tourism activities and prevent any damage to the environment.
Zainab, from Sopore, said Munddaji is a natural beauty and its ecosystem shouldn't be disturbed by human interference. All those visiting this place must ensure waste is not thrown into the natural meadows and the water stream flowing within, she said.
Sharing her experience, Zainab said she felt “amazing” to be there in the lap of nature. “The place has no match in terms of natural beauty. It was my first time at Munddaji and the trip was worth it; the sound of the water flow here is pleasant to ears,” she expressed.
Nazir Ahmed Mir, a tea seller, who travels 20 kilometres daily to earn his livelihood here, told KNO that he has been there for a quite long period. “The place is witnessing a good flow of visitors, especially from outside Rafiabad,” he said, adding, “On an average, 500 to 700 people visit the site daily. However, it needs development to attract more visitors.”
“There must be development. The place has the potential to be like Gulmarg and other tourist destinations if taken care of by the administration. This is going to create livelihood opportunities as well,” Mir added.
On February 22 this year, this picturesque village hosted the first-of-its-kind snow sports event, with Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Syed Sehrish Asgar terming it as “the first step towards bringing the virgin area on the tourism map”.
“Mund Daji would not only promote tourism but would also help local people earn livelihoods,” the DC had said—(KNO)