Sonamarg to become year-round destination with skiing, rafting, says Omar Abdullah
J&K CM Omar Abdullah said on October 15, 2026 that Sonamarg will be developed as a year-round destination with rafting in summer and skiing in winter.
What Happened
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on October 15, 2026 that his government is working on projects to turn Sonamarg into a year-round tourist destination, with rafting planned for summer and skiing and skating for winter. Speaking during a visit to Ganderbal district, he said the Z-Morh tunnel had changed Sonamarg's prospects by keeping the resort reachable through the winter. He added that forest, environmental and wildlife clearances can slow such projects, but that the government would follow the required procedures.
Key Facts
- Announcement: October 15, 2026, by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in Ganderbal district.
- Plan: develop Sonamarg as an all-season destination and upgrade its tourism infrastructure.
- Planned activities: rafting in summer; skiing and skating in winter.
- Reason given: the Z-Morh tunnel makes Sonamarg accessible throughout the year.
- The Z-Morh tunnel, about 6.5 km long on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Ganderbal district, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2025.
- The Chief Minister said forest, environmental and wildlife clearances may take time, and the government will follow the required process.
- On traffic jams in Ganderbal, he said some chinar trees near roads may need to be removed, with eight to ten new chinars planted away from the roads for each, and that the government does not intend to destroy the trees.
- No timeline or budget for the Sonamarg projects has been announced.
Why It Matters
For most travellers, Sonamarg has been a summer place, visited in the warmer months. A resort that works for only part of the year struggles to justify investment in better hotels, trained staff or new attractions, and the people who earn from tourism there have a shorter season to make their living.
The Z-Morh tunnel changed the basic arithmetic. According to the Chief Minister, it keeps Sonamarg accessible throughout the year, so a visitor can now reach it in winter. The Chief Minister's plan builds on that: if skiing and skating can be offered in winter and rafting in summer, Sonamarg could keep visitors coming through the year, the way Gulmarg already does in the snow season. Spreading visitors across more destinations and more months also takes some pressure off Gulmarg and Pahalgam at their busiest times.
There are real limits. Sonamarg sits in an ecologically sensitive mountain area, and any new slopes, rinks, rafting points or buildings will need clearances for forests, the environment and wildlife. The Chief Minister acknowledged that these approvals can take time. Earlier this month, he also said new destinations in the Union Territory must have working sewage and solid-waste systems before they are opened to visitors, which points to the same balance between growth and protecting the landscape that draws tourists in the first place.
The remarks about chinar trees in Ganderbal show that this balance is already being debated. The government's position, as stated by the Chief Minister, is that any trees removed to ease traffic would be replaced several times over, away from the roads.
For travellers, nothing changes yet. No new facilities, dates or prices have been announced, so a winter trip to Sonamarg this season should be planned around what already exists and current weather and road advisories.
| Season | What is planned for Sonamarg |
|---|---|
| Summer | Rafting, alongside existing sightseeing and treks |
| Winter | Skiing and skating |
| All year | Upgraded tourism infrastructure, enabled by the Z-Morh tunnel |
Impact
Short-term: The announcement signals the government's direction, but projects still need detailed plans and clearances. Visitors this winter will find the resort reachable by road, without the new sports facilities.
Long-term: If the projects are built, Sonamarg could become an all-season destination, giving local businesses income through the year and spreading tourist traffic beyond Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
Who is affected: Hotel owners, guides, pony operators, taxi drivers and traders in Sonamarg and Ganderbal; domestic and foreign tourists; and residents concerned about traffic, trees and the mountain environment.
Key Takeaway
Omar Abdullah said on October 15, 2026 that Sonamarg will be developed as a year-round destination with rafting in summer and skiing and skating in winter, made possible by the Z-Morh tunnel, though no timeline or budget has been set.
Questions and Answers
What is the plan for Sonamarg tourism announced in October 2026?
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on October 15, 2026 that the government is working to develop Sonamarg as a year-round destination, with rafting in summer and skiing and skating in winter, and to upgrade its tourism infrastructure.
Can tourists visit Sonamarg in winter now?
Yes. According to the Chief Minister, the Z-Morh tunnel makes Sonamarg accessible throughout the year. The new winter sports facilities have not been built yet.
When will skiing start in Sonamarg?
No date has been announced. The projects need forest, environmental and wildlife clearances, which the Chief Minister said can take time.
What is the Z-Morh tunnel?
It is a tunnel of about 6.5 km on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Ganderbal district, inaugurated in January 2025, which keeps Sonamarg connected by road in winter.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
