Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Sept 23: A delegation of Hotel & Restaurant Association Katra, led by its president Rakesh Wazir and chairman Sham Lal Kesar, called on Chief Executive Officer SMVD Shrine Board A K Sahu and discussed with him certain measures including the celebration of Navratra festival with more fan fare this year and giving wide publicity to it for attracting more pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
Mr Wazir said that out of more than Rs 1.5 crores, being spent on Navratra Festival, J&K Tourism & Shrine Board were unitedly contributing approximately Rs 40 lac only. Regretting that the Shrine Board, instead of increasing its share of mere Rs 20 lac approximately, was even hesitating to contribute the same, he appealed Mr Sahu to personally intervene into the matter and get the issue resolved through Governor by elaborating significance of Navratra Festival for increasing the Yatra of Vaishno Devi ji.
The Navratra Festival had remained a most successful event throughout India serving as a great pilgrimage promoter and withdrawal of SMVDSB out of it that too merely for Rs 20 lac at this stage will prove to be counter productive as well as causing bad name for itself, he added.
Mr Wazir also emphasized for simplification of Yatra slips procedure, cleanliness of Katra town and streamlining of autos, ponies and pithus on the track. He also suggested that assured Helicopter tickets be given to Vaishnodevi pilgrims who want to go Shiv Khori as this would result in increase of pilgrims to Shiv Khori and also prolong their stay here.
Mr Kesar focused on developing the places of Tourist interest at Katra and around including Shanker Acharya, Deva Mai, Nav Devian, Baba Dhansar, Shiv Khori and expediting the projects including light & sound at Shalamar Garden Katra, upgradation of Cheryai Kagga on the pattern of Cheshma Shahi etc.
Mr Sahu listened to the delegation patiently and assured the implementation of the suggestions made in the interest of improvement and promotion of Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.
The delegation among others comprise of Virender Kesar, Harish Kumar Dubey, Sumit Khajuria, Nishant Sharma, Mohit Dubey, Vikram Singh, Vijay Ganjoo, Vivek Sharma, Mohit Dubey and Suresh Kumar.
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