J &K, June 13, 2025 : In the untouched highlands of Bhaderwah, framed by the mighty Pir Panjal range, lies Seoz Dhar — a meadow of breathtaking beauty, serenity, and untapped potential. It is a place that could easily stand shoulder to shoulder with Gulmarg or Pahalgam. But unlike its counterparts, Seoz remains disconnected from the rest of the country — not by nature’s obstacles, but by years of administrative silence.
Despite its majestic landscape and enormous tourism potential, Seoz Dhar still has no road connectivity. In 2013, a road project from Bhaderwah via Mathola to Seoz was sanctioned under PMGSY, a centrally sponsored scheme. But more than a decade later, that dream remains incomplete, buried beneath files, delays, and neglect.
A Local nature lover Pawan Dev Singh speak from a place of love and deep frustration.”Yeh Seoz Dhar hai… Jammu aur Kashmir ki sabse khoobsurat jagha hai, lekin aaj tak yahan tak road bhi nahi hai. Agar yeh jagha Kashmir mein hoti, toh aaj tak yeh duniya ka mashhoor tourist spot ban chuki hoti.”There is a growing feeling that destinations in the Jammu region often do not receive the same attention or urgency as others.
While Bhaderwah is known for its peace, greenery, and potential to boost the economy of the entire Chenab Valley, places like Seoz continue to suffer due to lopsided planning and political indifference.Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad did try to bring Seoz into the mainstream by highlighting its importance and sanctioning the road, but his government’s fall halted the project midway.
Since then, promises have been made, but progress remains invisible.The people of Bhaderwah believe that Seoz could be a national treasure if developed with vision and sincerity. Its meadows could host eco-tourism, its landscape could become a hub for trekking and nature retreats, and its untouched beauty could inspire generations of tourists and conservationists alike.In a unified voice, the people of Bhaderwah and the wider Chenab region now make a heartfelt appeal to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Union Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy.
They ask not for charity, but for justice.They request that the long-pending Seoz road project be revived and completed, under the direct guidance of the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Tourism. If given even a fraction of national attention, Seoz Dhar can become one of India’s top tourist destinations — with pride, with sustainability, and with the kind of success stories PM Modi often speaks of in “Vikas Yatra”.This is more than a demand — it is a plea born of both beauty and pain. Seoz does not want to remain a forgotten dream. It wants to be seen, reached, and remembered.
Let Seoz Dhar finally get the road it was promised. Let Bhaderwah finally step into the spotlight it deserves.Because no paradise should remain hidden behind a broken promise.
By Mansoor Qadir..
