Kargil: On the fifth day of his public outreach initiative, Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Hanifa Jan, undertook a detailed developmental tour of several villages in the Taisuru region and adjoining parts of the second constituency in Suru Valley. He was accompanied by Taisuru Councillor Abdul Hadi and former Councillor Syed Abass, with the tour in the second constituency coordinated by Area Councillor Aga Ainul Huda.
During the visit, the MP interacted with residents and public representatives across a wide range of villages including Karpokhar, Rgyaling, Purtikchay, Biama, Damsna, Youljuk, Maita, Kargee, Prantee, Choskore, and Panikhar. The second part of the tour included stops in Khause, Namsuru, Thulus, Pursa, Achambur, and Tangole. The primary aim of the tour was to assess on-ground developmental issues, listen to community feedback, and prioritize needs for timely resolution. Speaking with the locals, Jan acknowledged the region’s unique challenges and emphasized that while not every problem can be fixed overnight, committed and honest efforts would be made in phases to address them. He assured the public that development is a continuous process and reaffirmed his dedication to fulfilling people’s expectations with sincerity.
A major highlight of the visit was the MP’s focus on tourism as a pillar for economic upliftment. He pointed out that Suru Valley holds immense potential for trekking, paragliding, filming, and high-altitude adventure sports around the Nun Kun peaks. He announced that a tourism festival is being planned to promote the valley’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. He also proposed turning the Maita waterfall into a tourist destination and advocated for opening the Panikhar–Pahalgam route to enhance connectivity between the regions.
During interactions, residents raised a number of pressing issues, especially related to infrastructure, education, communication, and public utilities. They called for improved road connectivity and blacktopping of internal village roads. Educational concerns included the urgent renovation of the Higher Secondary School in Biama and the upgrading of the Middle School in Damsna, alongside the recruitment of adequate teaching staff. There were also appeals for the installation of a mobile grid tower in Purtikchay, pipeline connectivity under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Youljuk, and the establishment of a Medical Aid Centre in Maita.
People expressed the need for fencing and lift irrigation facilities in Damsna, the establishment of a public library in Panikhar, and the construction of protective bunds and footbridges in flood-prone areas like Thulus, Pursa, and Youljuk. They also voiced concern over the dismantled tourist center in Panikhar and the poor state of the local waste disposal system. Additional requests included banking facilities, riverbank protection, better bridge maintenance in Panikhar, and lift irrigation in Choskore. There were also grievances regarding compensation and rehabilitation related to the national highway expansion project.
In the second constituency, Councillor Aga Ainul Huda conveyed further community demands. In Khause, residents requested canal construction and protection walls. In Namsuru, one of the most populous villages, citizens demanded upgraded hospitals and subcentres, installation of solar pumps, an animal husbandry center, and a community marriage hall. There were also calls to complete the Parkachik canal and provide lift irrigation systems. Other requests included a mobile tower and community library in Achambur, along with an irrigation pool, upgraded middle schools, rescue equipment, and a new footbridge in Tangole to improve safety during mountaineering and avalanche conditions near Nun Kun.
At the conclusion of the tour, Hanifa Jan assured both constituencies that their concerns would be promptly brought to the attention of the relevant authorities. He committed to regularly monitoring the progress of solutions and emphasized that sustained and inclusive development would remain his top priority going forward.
