Development of old Jammu Railway Station as heritage site
Joyride from Bikram Chowk to R S Pura on papers only
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 8: In yet another instance of non-serious approach towards creation of tourist attraction points in the City of Temples, Tourism Department has failed to act on the directions of the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor regarding development of old Jammu Railway Station at Bikram Chowk as heritage point during the past over four months.
Moreover, the much talked about plans to start joyride from the Bikram Chowk to R S Pura to boost heritage railway tourism has remained confined to the official statements much to the disappointment of people of Jammu city.
On January 29, 2021, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor Baseer Ahmed Khan, who is also looking after the affairs of the Tourism Department, visited the historic Railway Station at Bikram Chowk and directed the officers to prepare a Detailed Project Report for its recreation.
“The Government is exploring the options for starting of a tramway, mini train or joyride from Bikram Chowk to R S Pura to give boost to heritage railway tourism”, he had announced at that time, adding “the Railway Station has a historical and heritage significance and extraordinary efforts should be made for its recreation on the same lines as it had existed”.
Moreover, he had directed the officers of the Tourism Department accompanying him to go through the pictures available of the historic Railway Station as it had existed earlier so that it is restored to its pristine glory. The Advisor had also asked the officers to involve the Railways for technical support in preparation of DPR and said that recreation of such an asset will become a source of inspiration for the younger generation.
However, despite lapse of more than four months no step has been initiated by the Tourism Department towards translating the directions of the Advisor into reality, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “what to talk of preparation of Detailed Project Report in consultation with the Railways even formal discussion has not been held on the development of old Jammu Railway Station as heritage site at any level in the Directorate of Tourism Jammu”.
“Most astonishing aspect is that even the pictures of the historic Railway Station have not been analyzed despite the fact that the then Director Tourism Jammu was accompanying the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor during the visit”, they further said.
They disclosed that even no deliberations have been held on the plans to start tramway, mini train or joyride from Bikram Chowk to R S Pura, which otherwise is imperative to give boost to heritage railway tourism. “This is the testimony of non-serious approach on the part of the concerned authorities towards creating tourists attraction point in the City of Temples for which the civil society and people have been raising voice during the past many years”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that old Jammu Railway Station at Bikram Chowk was built in 1897 but was abandoned after the partition as the railway link to Sialkot was broken. It was on Jammu Sialkot Line which had train services from Jammu to Sialkot and vice-versa by passing through R S Pura, Miran Sahib and Suchetgarh.
“For development of old Jammu Railway Station as heritage site the Government is required to take back land from the Transport Department as the land belonging to the Railways Department was supposedly transferred to the Transport Department in 1954 and presently the yard and workshop of JKRTC are located there”, sources said.
When contacted, an officer of the Jammu Smart City Limited said, “the Detailed Project Report for the development of Railway Station is required to be prepared by the Tourism Department and Jammu Smart City Limited will come into picture once decision about funding is taken by its Board”.
“It is really a matter of serious concern that while several States in the country particularly Himachal Pradesh are running heritage trains and attracting large number of tourists, the only such plan in respect of Jammu is confined to the official statements only”, sources said.
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