Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, June 6: Deputy Commissioner Reasi Vishesh Mahajan along with Addl District Development Commissioner Sukhdev Singh Samyal and office bearers of Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra, visited the places of tourist interest around Katra including Nau-Devian, Dhansar, Siad-Baba etc and discussed in detail the measures to divert the visiting pilgrims to these places.
During the tour, Mahajan explained that a joint strategy comprising of tourism stakeholders, District Administration, Shrine Board & Department of Tourism is required to be made. Making of packages, providing of best quality transport and good service, wide publicity of these places and providing other facilities to the pilgrims is the need of the hour so that people visiting Vaishnodevi may visit these places as well and stay of Yatries may increase,” he said and added that the recent holding of Environment Day at Chinkah and making it a festival was a step in this direction.
The Association office bearers, who accompanied the DC, comprised of its president Rakesh Wazir, Chairman; Shyam Lal Kesar, Sr Vice president, Virender Kesar and others.
Wazir said that though yatra at Shiv-Khori, Nau-Devian, Dhansar has already crossed the figure of 20 to 25 lakh yatries per year but these places have the potential of increasing this figure to many folds. He informed the DC that water of Siad Baba has been diverted to many villages and as a result the flow of water fall is decreased. He suggested that though the water may be lifted, if required, from the point where it lands after falling from height so that beauty of the water fall may not diminish.
Shyam Kesar and Virender Kesar requested for inviting top media & film personalities for giving these places more publicity. They also requested for early start of Shiv Khori ropeway, Helicopter service between Katra-Shiv Khori-Katra, Re- start of live Arti from Shiv Khori, publicity of these places in trains and Railway Stations of Katra and Jammu, opening of Tourism Department’s view point/Refreshment room at Siad Baba etc.
Mahajan assured sympathetic consideration to each & every point discussed in the joint tour and said that efforts would be made to increase the stay of Yatries.
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