Srinagar, May 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Board has approved a proposal for the construction of the Asha–Cheema–Gurdaligali–Aphrawat–Sarson–Anita road passing through the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a key ecological corridor for species such as markhor and musk deer.

The meeting, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, included senior ministers, officials, legislators, conservation experts, and representatives from the armed forces and environmental bodies. The proposed road is expected to improve connectivity between Gulmarg and Poonch in the Pir Panjal range while also serving strategic requirements.
Officials clarified that the approval is only at the board level and the project will now be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) for final clearance. Chief Wildlife Warden Chaturbhuja Behera said the process is still under review, including environmental impact assessment considerations.
The decision has triggered concern among environmental activists and legal experts, who argue that the project could disrupt fragile wildlife habitats and migration corridors within the 180 sq km sanctuary. They also cited an ongoing Public Interest Litigation in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking protection of Gulmarg’s ecology and restriction on fresh construction activity.
Environmental lawyer Nadeem Qadri said any new project must comply with court directions issued in 2021, which restrained further construction in the area pending final adjudication of the case.
Activists warned that the road could fragment wildlife corridors connecting Gulmarg with Tatakoti and Heerpora sanctuaries, increasing pressure on already vulnerable species due to tourism and existing human activity.
However, officials stressed the need to balance development with ecological protection. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while chairing the meeting, underscored safeguarding biodiversity while considering developmental and strategic requirements in the region.
The project now awaits further scrutiny at the national level before any final decision on implementation is taken.