Mayor to conduct surprise checks
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, June 11: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is working hard to facilitate the pilgrims of annual Amarnath pilgrimage which is starting from Jammu on July 1 and will proceed to south Kashmir Himalayas where the pilgrims will pay obeisance to the holy Ice-lingam (Him-Lingam).
“As maximum pilgrimage centres fall in the urban area within JMC limits, we are repairing about 500 toilets at these places,” Rahul Yadav, JMC Commissioner told Excelsior over phone.
He informed that while the Tourism Department facilitates the visiting pilgrims at Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar during their stay, same is done by JMC at other places in Jammu.
“Apart from this, we are also placing dustbins at required places associated with the holy pilgrimage and JMC will make 256 temporary prefab toilets, 69 bathrooms and 80 urinals to facilitate the pilgrims,” Yadav maintained adding: “For places where there is no place for prefab toilets, the Urban Local Body (ULB) will place about 50 mobile toilets.”
He said that JMC will timely empty the tanks of mobile toilets while water tankers in adequate numbers shall also be pressed into service for ensuring proper water supply at places of stay of the pilgrims and at other places associated with the Yatra.
“Some 400 extra Safai Karamcharis will be deputed for facilitating Yatra of which about 150-200 shall be placed at Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar as they have to work there in three shifts and 40-50 Safai Karamcharis shall always be required there every time,” the JMC Commissioner continued.
Jammu city Mayor, Rajinder Sharma when contacted informed that surprise checks by him along with the entire JMC team will ensure that the pilgrims face no problem during their stay in Jammu.
“We may even conduct checks at late night hours to ensure all the required facilities to the visiting pilgrims and ensure that they face no problem as they will be our esteemed guests,” he said informing that all the Community Halls of JMC will accommodate the visiting Amarnath pilgrims.
“We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure facilities like proper bathrooms, toilets and other facilities at these Community Halls so that the visiting pilgrims may have all the comfort during their stay in Jammu,” the Mayor continued.
On possible violations of polythene ban in Jammu by the visiting pilgrims, he said that big boards will be placed outside the Community Halls and at other places where the Yatris will stay during their visit instructing them to avoid using plastic and polythene materials.
“Apart from this we will show the pilgrims some documentaries of tourism sites of J&K and I will soon discuss this with Director Tourism as the Amarnath Yatra gives us a big opportunity to highlight tourism of J&K,” the Mayor maintained adding that the pilgrims may feel at home here due to the hospitality of J&K.
He appealed to the Langarwalas to avoid single use plastic in their works during the pilgrimage period.
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