JNM Journalist Hardeep Jamwal (Jammu)
While the Jammu & Kashmir government makes grand claims about promoting religious tourism and providing better facilities at pilgrimage sites, the road leading to the famous Sukrala Mata Temple in Kathua district exposes the reality behind these assertions. The dilapidated condition of the approximately 9-kilometer-long road from Billawar to the temple poses a constant source of trouble and danger for pilgrims every year.
Thousands of devotees visit to seek blessings from Mata Sukrala annually, yet before reaching the temple, they encounter severe hazards such as broken stretches, sunken sections, landslides, crumbling edges, and a lack of parapets (safety walls) in many places. The situation worsens during the monsoon season, when debris and stones tumble onto the road from the hillsides and the roadway narrows dangerously at several points.
Annual Repairs, Yet No Permanent Solution
Locals state that only perfunctory repairs are carried out after the rains each year, only for the road to deteriorate again by the next monsoon. They allege that the government merely spends funds on patchwork rather than implementing necessary engineering measures—such as retaining walls, breast walls, slope stabilization, and improved drainage systems—required for a permanent solution.
Resentment Among Pilgrims and Locals
Locals and regular pilgrims argue that when the government speaks of promoting religious tourism, ensuring safe and high-quality roads to pilgrimage sites should be its primary responsibility. They maintain that the poor condition of the access road to this significant religious site—central to the faith of thousands—casts doubt on the government’s claims.
Lack of Safety Measures at Many Spots
Several dangerous bends along the road lack safety walls. Frequent landslides from the hills during the rainy season put the lives of drivers and passengers at risk. At several locations, the road edges have collapsed, posing a direct risk of vehicles plunging into deep ravines.
₹3.5 Crore Sanctioned, but Over ₹8 Crore Needed for the Entire Road
According to Public Works Department (R&B) officials, approximately ₹3.5 crore has been sanctioned for the permanent repair of the damaged sections, and the tendering process has commenced. However, officials acknowledged that a comprehensive reconstruction of the entire 9-kilometer stretch—including the construction of safety walls, parapets, drainage systems, and other essential works—would require more than ₹8 crore.
Consequently, there are concerns that the currently sanctioned funds will suffice only for repairing specific sections, leaving the goal of making the entire road safe still out of reach.
The Big Question
While the government announces various schemes to promote religious tourism, the credibility of these claims is naturally called into question if the roads leading to major religious sites remain unsafe. It remains to be seen when the government will take concrete steps toward a permanent solution for the Sukrala Mata Temple road.
