After pretty long wait and persistent demand, the Government has made the first ever meaningful move that is expected to bestow upon Jammu the status of respectable tourist destination. This has been one of the long waiting demand of the people in this region, and for reasons never disclosed, year after year, only promises were doled out but in practice very little was done that would satisfy the people.
It seems that the years of long and nerve-breaking wait has come to an end. In a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) chaired by the Chief Minister and attended by all concerned echelons, a comprehensive study and analysis of the task before the PDA was discussed in detail. The significance of this meeting is that it took a comprehensive view of all possibilities of developing Patnitop Circuit in a manner that it reaches the entire region’s sites in Mantalai, Sanasar, Baglihar, Batote, Dudu-Basantgarh and Kud in a time-bound manner. It is a multi-dimensional circuit such as water sports activities in the reservoir of Baglihar Hydroelectric Project at Chanderkote, electric train for joy ride and Health and Wellness Tourism Projects at Patnitop, cable car project for Mantalai and amusement park for Sanasar. Included in the schemes is the Patnitop Ropeway project that has been hanging fire for more than a decade and half. The meeting was told that the final clearance by the Forest Board had been obtained and the project was now underway.
From how the Chief Minister has approached the entire project, we can draw the inference that there is now very clear and unambiguous thinking in official circles that several projects underscored by the Tourist Department in consultation with the PDA need to be finalized and cleared for implementation without further delay. In various cases the Chief Minister has given time bound frame and has impressed upon the authorities that all assigned tasks have to be completed within the stipulated time frame. A dispassionate look at the projects that have been approved for implementation with the main objective of expanding tourist inflow shows that the Government means to be serious on bringing Jammu on the tourist map of the country. It needs to be mentioned that the spending capacity of internal tourist has grown over the years and we should come out of the mindset that only foreign tourists are the mainstay of tourist industry in the country. An important factor we should bear in mind while reflecting on expansion of tourism in Jammu region is the great and increasing influx of religious pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Trikuta Hills. The number of annual pilgrims to this shrine has crossed ten million. Rail connection has already been brought to Katra. This has increased the prospect of Patnitop Tourist Circuit coming into focus and attracting religious tourists to another dimension of Jammu tourism. The recreational and pleasure cruise in the Baglihar lake, up in lap of western Shivalik Mountains would be a memorable event for the tourists coming from distant parts of the country or from abroad. Likewise, establishment of International Yoga Centre at Mantalai, a really idyllic place for peaceful yogic exercises, will one day become the prime site of attendance for the yoga lovers all over the world. Interlinking of tourist sites in the Chenab Valley region either through ropeway or through helicopter service would be the great facility for prospective tourists. The Chief Minister has issued order of identifying the site for helipad at Patnitop.
In an overall estimation, it is very good and encouraging news for Jammu region that for the first time, a really comprehensive and multi-sided Patnitop Tourist Circuit has been conceptualized.
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