Ensure swift passage of pilgrims at each checkpoints: Mehta

Chief Secretary chairing a meeting.
Chief Secretary chairing a meeting.

*Reviews progress under JJM

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 30: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today held a high level meeting of civil and police administration to take stock of arrangements made for the upcoming Shri AmarnathJi Yatra, 2022.
Dr Mehta enjoined upon the officers that the experience of yatris on pilgrimage to holy cave should be a pleasant one and all of them should turn as the ambassadors for promoting J&K as a better tourism destination. He stressed on them to ensure that all pilgrims have a swift passage at the checkpoints and no yatri should have to wait for more than 30 minutes while going into the base camps.
The meeting was attended by the Administrative Secretaries of Home, Finance, PWD, RDD, Health, Forest, Culture, Tourism, Divisional Commissioners, ADGPs, Municipal Commissioners, CEO Shri AmarnathJi Shrine Board besides the concerned Deputy Commissioners from both the divisions.
Jammu based officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Dr Mehta stressed on the officers to speed up the process of starting online registration for helicopter services. He directed the Shrine Board to work for offering this facility to prospective yatris from 1st of June itself. He also asked them to notify the rates of this service provided to yatris soon.
The Chief Secretary took first hand appraisal from all the Deputy Commissioners of the civil works related to the smooth conduct of the yatra. He enquired from them the kind of arrangements and back up plans for providing reliable accommodation, water, electricity facilities made by each of them in their districts.
He directed them to ensure that appropriate number of washrooms, dustbins, sanitation workers are in place at each designated location. He also advised them to look into the provision for availability of a mobile STP to be used for better upkeep of the yatra holding areas. He stressed on making all the base camps and other sites comfortable, clean and hygienic using modern techniques and technology.
Dr Mehta asked the Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal to examine both the routes up to holy cave themselves and see that all critical, protective works have been carried out satisfactorily. He said that in coming days he would himself travel on Jammu-Srinagar highway to take stock of arrangements himself.
The Chief Secretary asked them to have close liaison with each other so that the yatra is conducted in an amicable atmosphere as the same is carried out after two years break of covid pandemic.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary reviewed the progress made under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) here in J&K.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Jal Shakti Department, Ashok Parmar; Mission Director JJM, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Chief Engineers and others officers of the Department.
Dr Mehta enjoined upon the officers to work with a missionary zeal to accomplish the objectives of the mission. He made it clear that no lackadaisical approach would be tolerated in this regard. He asked them to explore all the options for completing the objectives of this mission on time. He asked them to make accountability and fixing of responsibility the hallmark of this mission.
The Chief Secretary urged the officers to utilize this working season maximally for successful culmination of this significant mission. He asked them to ensure that work on each allotted work is started forthwith. He underscored the need of allotting all the tendered out works shortly so that all of them are taken in hand in the beginning of next month.