STATE TIMES NEWS
REASI: While speaking to a delegation of Hotel & Restaurants Association, Katra, Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Indu Kanwal Chib said that for the convenience of pilgrims as requested by Association, Katra entry point at Moori too will have free Covid Test facility very soon on the pattern of Railway Staions, Airports of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for pilgrims coming from outside state.
The delegation among others was comprised of Association President Rakesh Wazir, Chairman Shyam Lal Kesar, Former President Shiv Kumar Sharma, Sr.Vice President Virender Kesar, Members Mangal Singh, Ranjeet Singh etc.
While speaking on the occasion Wazir emphasised that since entry into the Holy Township of Katra is banned for pilrims from outside Union Territory until unless Tourists/ Pilgrims visiting Vaishnodevi are having Pre COVID Negative Test Report and most of the pilgrims who used to visit Katra Vaishnodevi are stopped for want of that test report and are facing inconvenience and with the start of this facility the pilgrims will get major relief and by this the Yatra too will increase. He further said that that the people coming with Pre COVID Test done at their homes within 96 hours be allowed to have Darshans and be not asked for repeated COVID test at Katra again and rather requested that if possible like we used to have all over India and particularly at other pilgrim places the entry should be made open for all .
Kesar while speaking on the occasion said that the coming up road under Express Highway project be culminated at Katra entry point Masjid at Kalka Nagar Katra from where the entry to Katra as well as to new Bus Stand is there, otherwise if it will go upto Asia Chowk or onwards all major buildings will get dismantled including the buildings of SMVD Shrine Board, Fire & Safety Department, PWD Guest House, big hotels like Ishwar, Basera, Ashirwad, Maharaja and big shops and commercial establishment etc and as a result besides loss of huge infrastructure of government and private ,hundreds of crores of government will go into giving of compensations and whole project will get stuck in litigations because all the buildings are legally constructed with proper approvals.
Shiv Kumar Sharma and Virender Kesar requested for starting of inter-state buses from other states to J&K which are stopped at the moment at Lakhanpur vis-à-vis opening of Lakhanpur borders altogether for all which is causing inconvenience to all and major dent to Tourism sector. He further requested for start of work of the drain between Shridhar Sabha to Hotel Jai Maa Inn. Indu Kanwal Chib listened the delegation patiently and said that besides opening of the free Covid Test facility at Moori Check post the main entry point to Katra,all major points concerning her will be considered sympathetically and concerning others will be taken up with them.