*Govt watching situation as mute spectator
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 31: Contrary to the tall claims of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government about creating sufficient infrastructure for giving necessary fillip to pilgrimage tourism, uncertainty is still prevailing over start of much-talked about helicopter services for the cave shrine of Shiv Khori in Reasi district for want of sufficient land near Katra for establishment of helipad.
The proposal to start helicopter services for Shiv Khori Shrine was mooted several years back on the ground that if air-connectivity to this shrine is provided the number of pilgrims would go up considerably by diverting those visiting Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine.
Thereafter, the work on construction of helipad on a plateau at a distance of 500 meters from the cave shrine of Lord Shiva was started and it was officially stated that helipad would have space for parking of four choppers and operation of two helicopters at a time. Even work on approach road to helipad was started.
Following completion of maximum work on the helipad and on the approach road the issue of expediting the process for start of helicopter services was deliberated upon in the meetings of Shiv Khori Shrine Board a number of times.
However, right from the very beginning all the aspects were not given serious thought by the Shrine Board as well as the successive State Governments as a result of which uncertainty is still prevailing over start of much-needed helicopter service, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
In the month of October last year, it was officially announced by the Reasi district administration that pilgrims visiting Shiv Khori Shrine will shortly get helicopter services as helipad near the shrine and allied infrastructure along with approach road was almost complete. This announcement was based on optimism about timely acquisition of sufficient land at Hutt Panchayat near Katra for construction of helipad, sources said.
However, the plan about acquisition of identified land could not materialize as a result of which announcement remained only on the papers till date, sources further said, adding though Shiv Khori Shrine Board and Reasi district administration tried level best to acquire required chunk of land at other places near Katra for construction of helipad yet the attempts failed to yield the desired results because of enormously high cost of private land and non-availability of Government land.
Even Northern Railway was approached for handing over one of its helipads near Katra Railway Station for start of helicopter services for Shiv Khori Shrine but the request was turned down by the Northern Railway authorities on the ground that these helipads were constructed for their own use, sources said.
“In this way, non-availability of land for helipad near Katra has emerged as a major impediment in start of helicopter services for Shiv Khori Shrine”, sources said, adding though several aviation companies including Himalayan Heli Services Pvt Ltd and Global Vectra, which are presently operating heli-services on Katra-Sanjichhat route, have agreed to start helicopter services for Shiv Khori Shrine but they have categorically told the Shrine Board and Reasi district administration that they would come forward only when helipad with all facilities is made available to them.
They have further conveyed that it would not be financially viable for them to create infrastructure and the same has to be provided by Shiv Khori Shrine Board on its own if the Board wants to start helicopter services.
“It is a matter of serious concern that despite making tall claims about creating sufficient infrastructure for giving necessary fillip to pilgrimage tourism, the PDP-BJP Government has failed to intervene and resolve the issue of land for helipad near Katra”, sources regretted, adding either the Government should make available required chunk of land or it should give one-time financial assistance to the Shrine Board for acquisition of private land otherwise the plan of starting chopper service will never materialize.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Ravinder Kumar, who is also the Vice Chairperson of Shiv Khori Shrine Board, confirmed that land for helipad has emerged as major impediment in the plan of starting helicopter services. “We are trying our level best to identify and acquire the suitable land but cannot specify any time-frame for completion of this exercise”, he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that cave shrine of Shiv Khori depicts the natural formation of Shiv Lingam. It is one of the most venerated cave shrines of Lord Shiva in the region. The holy cave is more than 150 meters long and houses 4 feet high Svayambhu Lingam, which constantly baths in a milky lime fluid dripping from the ceiling. The cave is full of natural impression and images of various deities.
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