JMC to make all efforts to boost tourism in Jammu: Mayor

JAMMU, Nov 14: Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Rajinder Sharma today said that all efforts will be made by the JMC to boost the tourism in Jammu which has declined during some years.
The Mayor was talking to media persons at the sidelines of a felicitation function organized by All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association to honour him and Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria.
Justifying the demands put forth by the Association, Rajinder Sharma said for increasing flow of tourism marketing needs to be done and JMC will take appropriate steps in this regard.
He said marketing will be done by JMC and it will be seen which places in Jammu can be explored for tourism.
He said JMC will develop and APP in which message will be sent across Indian asking people to visit the internationally recognised tourist places of Jammu. Besides, more projects for promotion of tourism will also be taken up in hand, he added.
He said at the Balidan Stumbs (memorials) of the Dogra warriors like Brig Rajinder Singh, Zorawar Singh Jamwal and other great heros of Jammu light and sound shows will be started highlighting their valour and sacrifices which will attract lot of tourists.
Mayor assured the Association leaders that JMC representatives and they will sit together to chalk out the future course of action in this regard. He said the JMC is meant for Jammu and all steps will be taken to make the future of Jammu people prosperous.
In the welcome address, president of the Association, Pawan Gupta said that people of Jammu have lot of hopes and expectations with them.Gupta expressed serious concern over the plight of stakeholders connected with tourism sector particularly hoteliers and COVID pandemic has not only globally endangered human lives but severely hit their means of livelihood too. Hotel industry which was already on ventilator due to extension of train service from Jammu to Katra, got a damaging blow from Corona pandemic leading to its vanishment.
Gupta further added that in order to promote tourism in Jammu, there is a greater need of making Jammu as an independent tourist destination rather than a transit camp for the pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Amarnath yatra. As there is no dearth of picnic spots and scenic beauty in and around Jammu to attract tourists, the priority is to complete immediately the pending mega pipeline projects in stipulated time which would definitely reduce the cost and time for the projects like Mubarak Mandi complex, Artificial Lake, beautification of Tawi river banks on the pattern of Sabarmati, Jumbu Zoo at Nagrota, etc.
Inderjeet Khajuria, chairman of the Association lauded the administration for making Jammu a clean and smart city by good sanitation and foot path construction but cautioned not to allow foot paths encroached by hawkers, meant for pedestrian use and also do away with the practice of mulba dumping sites in city. He further appealed not to waste the funds by making unwanted foot paths on the roads where there is already congestion and roads are narrow.
Other office bearers present in the function were Anil Khajuria, H S Manhas, Baldev Raj, Swarn Singh and Varun Gupta.