Jammu, March 16 (Scoop News) –Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla has asked the JDA, PDD, JMC, R&B, Health, Police and Traffic departments to make all necessary arrangements at Shri Bawe Wali Mata temple for the smooth conduct of forthcoming Navratra festival starting from April 04.
The Minister said this while interacting with the officers during his visit to Shri Bawe Wali Mata temple, here today.
Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority, Vinod Sharma, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, S C Sawhney, Superintending Engineer, R&B, P L Bhushan, besides other senior officers of JDA, PDD, JMC, R&B, Tourism, Flouriculture, Health, Police and Traffic departments accompanied the Minister.
Bhalla asked the Jammu Development Authority and Jammu Municipal Corporation to complete the repair and renovation works of pathway at Shri Bawe Wali Mata temple well before the start of Navratras for the convenience of devotees. He asked the PDD and JMC to ensure adequate arrangements for illumination and lightening in and around the temple with focus on face lift the area and improvement in civic and sanitation facilities. He appealed the shopkeepers not to sale stale eatables to the pilgrims and also beautify the area by displaying attractive sunshades. He said that the Shri Bawe Wali Mata temple attracts lakhs of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji pilgrims during Navratras.
The Minister asked the local shopkeepers to remove extension of their shops so that lanes and by-lanes are widened for smooth and easy movement of pilgrims.
The Minister said "to meet the challenges in tourism our emphasis is on diversification and providing requisite infrastructure facilities to pilgrims and tourists in the State". He said efforts are on to divert tourists of Mata Vaishno Devi to other pilgrim, leisure and adventure spots of the region adding that for the purpose the Government has upgraded infrastructure and recreational facilities at tourist spots across the region. He said Tourist Reception Centers, wayside facilities and huts have been developed along the way to almost all the tourist destinations.
Earlier, the Minister visited Rampura and inspected the ongoing construction work of 3rd Phase recreational park along the nallah, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 lakh. He asked the executing agency to complete the works within stipulated time frame.