EARly Times Report
JAMMU, July 16: Giving a determined push to the tourism sector in the Jammu region, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today inaugurated the much-awaited 1.18 km long Peerkho-Mahamaya section of Jammu Ropeway.
Speaking on the impact of the prestigious project on tourism, the Lt Governor observed that the complete operationalization of the Jammu Ropeway would give a further boost to the tourism sector in J&K, besides giving a fillip to the socio-economic development of the region by generating direct and indirect livelihood opportunities to the locals.
“Jammu ropeway will be a major tourist attraction in the region. It will instill new enthusiasm in the tourism sector in Jammu & Kashmir and add to aesthetics of Jammu city”, remarked the Lt Governor.
With the throwing open of Peerkho-Mahamaya section of the ropeway to public, the religious tourism circuit connecting three major temples of Jammu city viz. Peerkho, Mahamaya, and Bahu temple has also been completed. It will provide lifetime experience to the tourists, added the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor directed the officers to devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the periodic inspection of the ropeway and maintain the highest safety standards and professionalism, besides keeping in view the ecology factor, while operating the facility in order to ensure the safety of visiting tourists looking forward to a joyful ride.
He also directed the concerned officers to complete the pending auxiliary works immediately for easy access of tourists and make them operational at the earliest.
The Jammu Ropeway project also offers a host of facilities including restaurant, walkways, lawns, public utilities, parking space, and other recreational facilities for the people.
Pertinently, Jammu ropeway is a hybrid system, the critical components having been imported and integrated with the Indian system. Costing Rs. 75.83 crores, the project comprises of two sections: Section-I is between Peerkho (Below Mubarak Mandi) and Mahamaya, with a distance of 1.184 km, whereas Section-II is between Mahamaya temple and Bahu, with a distance of 0.485 km.
Sh. Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor, JMC; Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member Parliament; Sh. Baseer Ahmed Khan, Advisor to the Lt Governor; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Sh. Mukesh Singh, Additional DGP; Sh. Sarmad Hafeez, Administrative Secretary, Tourism Department; Dr Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Sh. Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Jammu; Sh. MA Wani, MD J&K Cable Car Corporation, and other concerned officers were present on the occasion.
Ms. Purnima Sharma, Deputy Mayor JMC, and Municipal Corporators also attended the inaugural ceremony.
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