Mehbooba Mufti opposes motorable boulevard on western side of famous Dal Lake

The Opposition to the move came when NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq moved a private members’ Bill, ‘The Right to Dignified Eco-Housing in Lakeside Areas Bill, 2026’, before the J&K Assembly earlier.  File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday (October 12, 2026) opposed a proposal of ruling National Conference (NC) legislator to construct a motorable boulevard on the western shore of the Dal Lake, a major attraction for tourists travelling to Kashmir.  

“The proposed Western Foreshore Road from Hotel Mamta to Habbak via Cherry Park is a deliberate attempt to mislead and push a vote-bank agenda. The Tourism Department developed the Proposal, but Cherry Park should be preserved as an ecopark, not sacrificed for political appeasement. Why destroy Nigeen Lake’s tranquillity? Kashmir needs ecological protection, not divisive politics,” said Ms. Mufti.

The Opposition to the move came when NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq moved a private members’ Bill, ‘The Right to Dignified Eco-Housing in Lakeside Areas Bill, 2026’, before the J&K Assembly earlier. It aims to rehabilitate the Dal dwellers in and around the lake, in contrast to the 2000 policy of 2000 of both the Centre and the local government to relocate the dwellers from over 7526 kanals of land on the city outskirts. However, Mr Sadiq also proposed a boulevard on the western shore of the lake “to ease traffic for the Dal dwellers”.