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| Hotel Association delegation calls on Chief Secretary to discuss Katra town beautification | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 5: A delegation from the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Katra recently met with the Chief Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir, Arun Kumar Mehta, to discuss a range of issues related to the tourism and hotel industry in the Katra region. The delegation included President Rakesh Wazir, Chairman Shyam Lal Kesar, Sr. Vice President Virender Kesar, and Vice President Ajay Kotwal. They were joined by key officials, including Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, Commissioner cum Secretary General Department Sanjeev Verma, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Sachin Kumar Viashya, and Sr. Superintendent of Police Jammu Vinod Kumar.
The primary focus of the meeting was on enhancing the tourist experience for the over one crore pilgrims and visitors who come to Katra each year to visit Shri Vaishnodevi Ji. The delegation requested that Katra undergo a comprehensive beautification process, modeled after Smart Cities, to transform it into an attractive and modern destination. This transformation would include initiatives such as underground wiring, beautiful lighting, tiled pathways, parks, signboards, railings, light and sound shows, and uninterrupted power supply, among other improvements.
Mr. Rakesh Wazir, the President of the association, also highlighted the need for extending the 6-lane Expressway to Tarakot Marg. He stressed that this extension should connect to the Katra Bus Stand, rather than bypassing the town, to ease the infrastructure and parking burden.
Other key issues raised during the meeting included the exemption of property tax for the hotel industry and the provision of industrial benefits such as GST reimbursement and access to power at industrial rates.
The delegation also discussed the acute shortage of water in Katra and the importance of ensuring uninterrupted power supply, especially given the town’s religious significance. The installation of a common sewage treatment facility was suggested to address sanitation issues resulting from the high influx of pilgrims.
The delegation further raised concerns about some officials making irrelevant queries and demanding the submission of physical files for online cases, leading to delays. Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta assured the delegation of a sympathetic consideration of their concerns and pledged stern action against officials responsible for unnecessary and irrelevant queries on online services.
Additionally, the delegation called for stern action against the contractor responsible for the Ban Toll Plaza for irregularities, including the frequent denial of local passes, despite warnings from the National Highway Authority of India and Deputy Commissioners.
Chief Secretary Mehta promised that the necessary actions would be taken to address these issues promptly.
The delegation left the meeting with hope for positive changes that would enhance the tourism experience in Katra and improve the overall infrastructure and facilities for visitors. |
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