Reviews progress on ongoing works, asks to ensure developing allied facilities
The Jammu ropeway project has in offing world class facilities and supplementary tourist attractions at the halt point that shall include food courts, ampi theatre, viewing decks and other allied facilities such as battery operated cart wheels.
This was informed in a meeting chaired by Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture, Tourism, Department of Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi.
She took stock of works at all three sites including Mahamaya, Bahu Fort and Peek-Kho, and exhorted upon the concerned departments to gear up their men and machinery to expedite the ambitious Jammu Ropeway Project.
MD JKCC Shamim Ahmed Wani apprised the chair about the physical and financial progress on ambitious Cable Car project costing Rs 75cr, including land compensation and developmental infrastructure allied works. It was given out that the project involves food courts, washrooms, parking facilities, parks, souvenir shops & handicap friendly pathways. The length of Section is 1.18 Kms and distances from Mahamaya to Peerkho & section two is 0.47kms ( Mahamaya -Bahu ). Parking at Bahu fort to be developed at an estimated cost of 14 cr.
It was also given out that the boundary walls at Peer Kho shall be developed with embossed paintings depicting the rich Dogra culture and shall enhance the esthetic beauty of the place.
The Minister held a detailed discussion with the stakeholders and various bottlenecks impeding the project implementation were removed to ensure that all allied logistic works are completed in time and can be made functional simultaneously for providing a world class experience to the tourists .
It was also given out in the meeting that the project shall envision putting in place an eco friendly mechanism for waste disposal and using the battery operated carts for ferrying the tourists at the halt points.
It was further informed that system shall be put in place to offer facilities for booking of the tickets on line and linking of the same to various airlines and online travel agencies.
The Minister stressed upon the concerned to work in tandem and ensure that the project meets its timeline in March next year.
Focusing on other tourism initiatives, the Minister asked the concerned agencies to expedite other ongoing projects to connect the five temples adjoining Peer-Kho by a common pathway to enhance the rich religious tourism in the region. She also instructed to prepare a project report for the widening of road for the tourist buses.
She said that the state has vast pilgrim tourism potential which needs to tapped optimally and efforts should be made to give best of facilities to the tourists coming to the state.
Priya also stressed the need to adequately promote the tourists destinations in and around Jammu so that these can be popularized among the tourist giving a fillip to the sector.
Priya Sethi asked the concerned departments for speeding up the process with coordination among the stakeholders to remove unnecessary hurdles.
The Minister stressed on making concentrated efforts to develop Jammu as a prime tourist destination and said that completion of these projects will give a major boost to the tourism industry.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Mandeep K Bhandari, Commissioner JMC Ramesh Kumar, Secretary Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Director Tourism Smita Sethi besides other senior officers of the concerned departments were present in the meeting
