Bilal Bhat
Pahalgam 2 December 2025—In the shadow of the sacred Amarnath Cave and on the soil still carrying the blood of Pahalgam’s martyrs, an alarming story of silence, complicity, and unchecked greed is unfolding .In the heart of Kashmir’s most sacred ecological belt, over 1,000 illegal structures—spanning hotels, restaurants, cottages, shops, and commercial complexes—have risen across Pahalgam, Awoora, Dhawatoo, Apple Valley and adjoining areas. The scale is staggering, the impact devastating, and the silence deafening. What is happening in Pahalgam today is nothing short of a slow-motion environmental collapse aided by a powerful nexus of political families, enforcement officials, middlemen and commercial interests.
Awami Reporter’s extensive on-ground survey found that these structures fall both within the jurisdiction of the Pahalgam Development Authority and in areas controlled by revenue, rural development, forest and wildlife departments. The violations range from agricultural land converted without permission to encroachment of forest belts, buffer zones, and even wildlife corridors meant to preserve the fragile Lidder–Amarnath ecosystem.
PDA Chief Hilal Ahmad (Jerry), who began the rare and bold attempt to crack down on these illegal hotels, reportedly faced immense political pressure and had to scale down operations. Sources told Awami Reporter that the moment he tightened the noose on the violators, senior political players intervened behind the scenes. “He tried. But the mafia is too big, too connected, too protected,” a senior official revealed anonymously.
Ironically, this isn’t the first time a PDA head faced consequences for taking on the hotel mafia. Former CEO Pahalgam, Masrat Hashim, had issued nearly 300 notices against illegal structures. His actions rattled powerful interests. Days later, he was abruptly transferred—widely believed to be the result of mafia pressure.
This entrenched political–bureaucratic nexus is not just enabling illegal construction but actively punishing any officer who dares to challenge it.
The fallout has not been limited to officials alone. Awami Reporter itself came under attack after publishing the investigative report “Amarnath Cave Ecosystem on Peril.” The exposé highlighted how illegal construction, concretisation and land encroachment near the pilgrimage route threatened not only the ecological balance of Pahalgam but also the stability of the cave ecosystem.
Within days, fake complaints were filed against Awami Reporter, allegedly orchestrated by the same political mafia whose interests were exposed. These attempts, sources say, were aimed at silencing the reportage and intimidating the newsroom into submission.
Yet, even amid pressure, locals continue to speak out. Irshad Ahmad from Awoora described the situation as “a betrayal of Pahalgam’s martyrs whose blood has not even dried while the mafia raises concrete jungles.” He added, “The administration conducted a token demolition drive in the forest belt. It was pure eyewash. The buildings are flourishing again.”
Civil society member Tabish Bhat echoed the same outrage, saying, “The political parties and administrative machinery are hand in glove with the hotel mafia. This nexus has destroyed the ecological sanctity of Pahalgam.”
The most alarming aspect is the ongoing threat to the Amarnath Cave ecosystem. Illegal structures have been erected in critical buffer zones, disrupting natural drainage, altering water flow, and posing long-term geological risks. Experts warn that these violations, if unchecked, could lead to irreversible damage to one of the most spiritually significant natural sites in South Asia.
Awami Reporter reached out to Shakti Kumar Pathak, Director, J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau, who acknowledged the seriousness of the issue. While assuring that the Bureau would act, he also noted the challenges posed by an “extensive and deeply-rooted mafia network that often makes enforcement exceptionally difficult.”
The situation has now begun attracting national concern. IK Tyagi, National President (Minority) of Rashtriya Gau Raksha Vahini Sewa Sangh, vowed to visit the Pahalgam belt, saying he intends to expose “the forces destroying the sanctity of the environment and the holiness of the Amarnath Shrine.” He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally order a crackdown, stating, “This mafia is eroding not just land but faith.”
On the ground, however, the illegal hotels continue to rise, forests continue to shrink, buffer zones continue to vanish, and silence from authorities continues to grow. In a region where every stream and slope holds cultural and ecological memory, Pahalgam today stands at the edge of irreversible harm.
Awami Reporter remains committed to exposing the nexus and bringing truth to the people, no matter the pressure.
