SRINAGAR, June 2: The members of Hotels and Restaurants Association, Katra (HRAK) on Sunday sought increase of stay for Vaishno Devi pilgrims while submitting a memorandum to Commissioner-cum-Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal.
As per the handout issued here, the HRAK delegation comprising its President Rakesh Wazir, Chairman Sham Lal Kesar, Senior Vice President Virender Kesar, Rajneesh Sharma and others called on Mudgal amidst the presence of Joint Director, Jammu Tourism Sunaina Sharma Mehta, Deputy Director Savita Chouhan, Assistant Director Ambika Bali.
The delegation apprised her with regard to various issues related to Tourism Industry and Hotel industry in particular.
Wazir emphasized that need of the hour is to increase the stay of one crore visiting Vaishno Devi pilgrims and for that places of Tourist interests around Katra especially Shiv Khori, Patnitop, Natha Top, Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Mansar, Surinsar, Kol Kandoli, Deva Mai etc. are needed to be developed.
He said that all industrial benefits need to be extended to the Tourism Sector as well including Power to hotels at par with Industrial rates, and GST reimbursement to hotels on the pattern of manufacturing Industry.
Wazir emphasized for starting Ropeways particularly at Shiv Khori and Sanasar and also emphasized for starting work on the separate water scheme for hotels which has already been sanctioned since long.
He stressed that in the new policy which is coming for allotment of lands for 5 star hotels, it will be ensured while framing policy that locals may be able to compete in that.
Shyam Lal Kesar apprised that registration of hotels, guest houses is being done by Tourism department right from the time but all of sudden they are observing that department has stopped registration and renewals of Tourism units (Hotels/Guest Houses) on one pretext or the other whereas in Industries department even the registration is done once and no renewal is required thereafter and requested that when whole Union Territory of J&K is moving towards ease of doing business and when hotels have come under Department of Industries.
Virender Kesar said that Tourism department should utilize its full energies in developing the sector in the Union Territory including publicizing of places of Tourist interests, exploring the new destinations in the Union Territory besides bringing more and more Tourists in the UT so that this industry flourish and may not die down and the registration process should be eased out.
Mudgal however, assured that sympathetic consideration will be given to the concerns raised and will surely be addressed by taking them up at the right quarters.
