Excelsior Correspondent
PAHALGAM, July 25: Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today visited Pahalgam and interacted with Amarnath yatris proceeding to the Holy Cave for darshan and enquired about the facilities being extended to them.
The Chief Minister also took follow up review of the instructions given during his last visit of Pahalgam resort. He visited Pahalgam Mini Hydel Power Project, Old Pahalgam Village Market, Betaab Valley and Aru and Circuit Roads.
Secretary to Chief Minister, M. H. Malik, Chief Engineer, R&B, Kashmir, Satish Razdan and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA), Riyaz Ahmad Wani, besides several other officers, accompanied the Chief Minister.
During his interaction with Amarnath pilgrims at the PDA helipad here, the CEO informed the Chief Minister that the chopper service carries out as many as 100 sorties from Pahalgam to Panjtarni on a fair weather day by operating three helicopters. The yatris expressed satisfaction over the facilities being extended to them at Pahalgam and other places en route Holy Cave.
Mufti Sayeed was also briefed about the steps taken by PDA in maintaining the 46-km-long Pahalgam-Holy Cave Track. On an average, nearly 5,000 yatris perform darshan daily from Pahalgam axis.
At the Helipad, the Chief Minister directed the CEO PDA to keep provision of a Food Court in the revised Master Plan to facilitate the tourists. He also inspected the newly-laid helipad which will facilitate movement of choppers from Pahalgam to Panjtatrini during the yatra period.
Mufti Sayeed also passed instructions for landscaping of open areas on either side of Circuit and Aru Roads and connecting of Iceland and Sekhpathri Parks by a zipline.
On the instructions of Chief Minister, the Circuit, Aru and Betaab Valley Roads have been macadamised by the R&B Department.
The Chief Minister also directed CEO PDA to prepare a plan for revival of Old Pahalgam Club and relocating the CRPF camp to an alternate site. He also directed clearance of debris of SRTC building in Pahalgam market to open up the area.
The Chief Minister also inspected the work on covering of drain in main market and its conversion into pedestrian walkway, being carried out by R&B Department.
In order to facilitate completion of work on Pahalgam Club, Mufti Sayeed granted one-month extension to the Tourism Department. It was earlier scheduled to be inaugurated on August 08, next month.
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