Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 6: To add additional facilities for meeting the future needs of the pilgrims who visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, N. N. Vohra, Governor, has been laying very high priority to the speedy enlargement of the logistical framework.
Towards this objective, he inaugurated the Ashirwad Bhawan at Katra last evening. This Dormitory Complex has been constructed by the Shrine Board at a cost of about Rs. 7.31 crore to augment the accommodation facilities for the pilgrims. This 5-storey building comprises 12 Dormitories, a Reception Counter, Dining Hall, Blanket Store, Cloak Room, Lockers, and toilets/bathrooms for ladies and gents on each floor. As many as 800 persons can stay here everyday.
The Governor emphasized the need for effective day to day maintenance of this newly created facility.
H. L. Maini, Member and Technical Consultant of the Shrine Board; Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board; Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Additional CEO and other officers of the Board were among those present on this occasion.
The Governor also laid the foundation stone of Aastha Bhawan, a 5-storey complex which will have 20 residential sets for the Board’s officers. This complex will have 4 sets at each floor and is envisaged to be completed within 2 years at an estimated cost of Rs. 11.50 crore. Mr. Maini briefed the Governor about the salient features and the facilities which have been planned to be created in this complex. The Governor stressed the need to ensure completion of this complex within 18 months instead of 24 months, as presently planned.
Later, the Governor visited the 4-ton per day capacity Mule Dung based Bio-Gas Plant at Katra. He was briefed about the functioning of this Plant where H. L. Maini, Board Member and Technical Consultant; Navin K. Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Additional CEO, and other concerned Board officers were also present. The Governor directed Additional CEO to urgently undertake a critical appraisal of the functional efficiency of this plant and also review its economics.
Meanwhile, Mr Vohra launched the photograph-based Yatra Registration Slip system at Katra.
The Governor viewed the functioning of this new system and was informed that for ensuring against the pilgrims having to wait for long periods, 60 counters would be set up for issuing Yatra Access Cards.
The launching of this photo-identity based system is an extremely important step taken by the Board towards the improvement of Yatra security. Under this system every pilgrim visiting the Shrine would be photographed and his relevant data captured in the Board’s Data Bank. Thus, in the event of any security related incident or even an accident on the tracks it would be possible to establish the identities of the pilgrims.
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