Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 9: A joint delegation of PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Hotel & Restaurant Association Katra met KK Sharma, Advisor to Governor, and asserted that all major shrines of Jammu region should come under the direct control of Governor with SMVD Shrine Board as its managing organization.
“If shrines of Jammu region including Shiv Khori, Sukrala Mata, Machail Mata and Balla Sundri come under the direct control of Governor, this will facilitate focused development of these shrines with more funds,” the delegation comprising of Vikrant Kuthiala (chairman, PHDCCI Jammu region), Rakesh Wazir (president HRAK & co-chairman PHDCCI) and Kuldeep Gupta (co-chairman PHDCCI) said.
Kuthiala and Wazir, while speaking on the occasion, said that time has come when in addition to faith the best management of the shrines is very important for increase in yatra and since all these institutions though attracting good number of pilgrims and managed well but it is very important that these are managed by an SMVD Shrine Board, which has got specialization in the management of such institutions.
Kuthiala said that helicopter service between Katra to Shiv Khori be started at the earliest so that more and more pilgrims may visit there while Wazir said that it in very important and easy to rotate the pilgrims of Vaishnodevi Shrine to places of other pilgrim interest which will increase the stay of the Yatries vis-a vis economy of the State in a big way.
The delegation emphasized that promotion of J&K Tourism is immediately required in aggressive way in whole India, to clarify the things to the people outside India that Jammu, Ladakh and some areas of Kashmir are as safe as any part of world.
Sharma listened to the delegation patiently and assured sympathetic consideration to each and every point.
Naveen Choudhary Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department and other members of the delegation including Meera Wazir & Nishant Sharma (vice presidents, PHDCCI), Anil Sharma (secretary HRAK), Ravinder Sawhney and Puneet Gupta were also present.