JAMMU: To review arrangements for Shri Amarnath Yatra 2016, Minister of State for Culture, Tourism, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi on Thursday visited Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar and oversaw the arrangements put in place for the annual Yatra.
“Our State is famous for its pilgrim destinations and all arrangements have been put in place by the administration for smooth conduct of the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra,” she said. Director, Tourism, Jammu Sushma Chauhan, senior officers of the Tourism Department and other line departments accompanied the minister during the visit.
The Yatris who were fully prepared and emotionally charged for the annual Yatra appreciated the arrangements made by the administration.
The minister interacted with the Yatris and inquired about the facilities being provided to them. She inspected the arrangements related to registration, accommodation, medicare facilities, transportation, boarding and lodging, supply of drinking water, sanitation, cleanliness and security. “Adequate arrangements have been made and officers from civil, police and other line departments should ensure that the visiting Yatris have a pleasant stay at the Yatri Bhawan,” she instructed.
While addressing the Yatris, Priya said special arrangements of buses for local site seeing has been made for the visiting pilgrims and Yatris should go on Jammu Darshan and visit the local sites such as Raghunath Temple, Balidan Stambh, Bahu Fort besides other tourist destinations.
She said the tourism department would facilitate the Yatris by distribution of pamphlets including Yatra itinerary, local tourist destinations, helpline numbers, designated lodging sites, registration counters and other essential information regarding the yatra at different locations all across the state.
“The tourism department has to play a dual role of facilitating the Yatris as well as projecting tourism destinations of the state to the visiting pilgrims especially those destinations which are relatively less explored,” she added.