Jammua and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public meeting at Sonamarg in J&K’s Ganderbal district on January 13, 2025. Photo: PMO via PTI

Unlike the past trend of ferrying government employees, locals braved the cold and walked over two feet of snowfall to converge at the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public function after the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal on Monday (January 13, 2024).

One estimate suggested that over 5,000 locals attended the function. “I have been preparing for the PM’s visit for the past three days. We pressed around 500 vehicles to ferry locals from far-off and snow-bound villages of Kangan and Ganderbal Assembly segments. People were eager to listen to what the PM had to offer,” National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali told The Hindu.

MLA Ali said no government employee was instructed to attend the public function of the Prime Minister. Official sources said J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah discouraged a proposal of the civil administration to depute government employees for the venue. It was a trend during the Central rule that employees from different departments were instructed to assemble early in the morning and attend the Prime Minister’s rallies in Kashmir.

“People have been awaiting the tunnel’s inauguration. My father Mian Altaf, who was J&K Forest Minister, moved the plan to have a tunnel. He fought for it. The tunnel will benefit all locals, especially the poorer sections of Ganderbal district. We expect a flip in tourism,” Mr. Ali said.

However, the MLA expressed disappointment over Mr. Modi not announcing a timeline for the restoration of Statehood to J&K. “Locals had come with high hopes that the PM would announce restoration of Statehood to J&K. It was disappointing that the PM did not,” he said.

Hanief Malik, a sarpanch from the Kulan area that is under two-feet of snow, also led a delegation of locals to the venue. “We were instructed by Member of Parliament Mian Altaf to attend the function since the PM was announcing a project that will benefit locals immensely. The tunnel means lifeline for locals who would get cut off because of snowfall,” he said.

The rally was also attended by women in spite of the chilly weather in Ganderbal.