Excelsior Correspondent
NAGROTA, Dec 20: In an innovative initiative of MLA Devender Singh Rana to transform his Nagrota Assembly constituency, 140 competitors reverberated Bajalta on Sunday in a keenly held contest as first ever Off Road Track event was held in a desert like area here.
The event attracted thousands of people from Jammu and the Nagrota constituency, who witnessed the sensational competition while standing on hillocks to have birds-eye view of the vehicles of various models like 4×4, 4×2 and motorcycles.
The high point of the day-long event was a festival like scenario in otherwise quiet place, close in the vicinity of the capital city of Jammu, with locals having established eatery points, which made a brisk business. The participants from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Pathankote, Ladakh and Jammu displayed their driving skills to the thrill and amusement of the spectators. The excitement among the local youth having penchant and passion for driving and biking touched heights when the competitors negotiated the Bajalta’s off roading track.
The initiative aims at promoting Nagrota Assembly constituency as a premier tourism, sports and adventure destination. The high profile and first ever Off Road Track Race comes after a short interval of the first ever kite-festival held in Surinsar a few months ago. The constituency has achieved a distinction of hosting wrestling and cricket events regularly during the past few years with an avowed objective of opening vistas for the local youth as also to make potentially rich constituency destination for holidayers, golfers and sports lovers. The primary objective is to give boost to local economy.
“While my primary objective is to open up this constituency for big tourist arrival, given its potential, in a bid to boost the local economy, such events are also targeted to provide opportunities to youngsters to participate in various events”, Devender Singh Rana, who is also Provincial National Conference president said, adding that it is his humble effort to keep this Assembly segment in focus.
Mr Rana exuded confidence that the participation of skilled drivers and bikers will prove as an inspiration for the locals, who will gain by their talent.
Envisioning his cherished desire to transform the constituency as hub of tourism and sports activities, Mr Rana said that his main emphasis would be to introduce the scenic areas and adventurous points like Bajalta off road tracks on a larger canvass to attract tourists, sports lovers and adventurists from all over the country. He said the efforts are yielding results as a cross section of people is showing immense interest in the places and events being organized from time to time.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the event said that this first ever competition was held under the aegis of Jugraj Biker Brotherhood Motorcycle Club. The experts of Backyard Customs worked on the tracks for several weeks to make these ideal for the event.
He said the judges from Delhi were highly impressed by the tracks, which encouraged them to organize a national level competition in Bajalta in February next year.
To encourage the participants who achieved distinction, the organizers had sponsored trophies and cash prizes.
At the concluding function, Mr Rana presented cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a trophy to Mr Afaaq, who won the 4×4 Off Road event and trophies to Mr Raghu and Karan Aggarwal for emerging first and second runners up in the segment.
He also presented cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a trophy to Parav Sethi for winning the 2×4 segment of the competition while trophies were awarded to Karan Singh and Vivek Choudhry for achieving the distinction of first and second runners up in this segment.
Provincial Youth NC president Ajaz Jan and his team gave an off-roading demonstration in the event
Prominent among those present on the occasion, included former Minister Javed Dar and NC leaders Ch Haroon, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Abdul Gani Teli, Sajjad Shaheen and others.
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