HRAK suggests ropeways to prominent religious places

Excelsior Correspondent

KATRA, Feb 18: Hotel & Restaurant Association,Katra (HRAK) and PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry , Jammu Region (PHDCCI) have suggested that ropeways to Amar Nath Ji, Shiv Khori, Katra Shankercharya and Diva Mai should be the priority projects for investment in ropeways.
The suggestion cum demand was made in a joint meeting of HRAK and PDHCCI, held here today under the chairmanship of Rakesh Wazir, President HRAK & Chairman PHDCCI & Shyam lal Kesar, chairman HRAK.
Wazir said that while making projections to the investors we should keep one thing in mind that investors will invest only in those projects where the return on investment is high and Katra and Shiv Khori are the places where the footfall of Tourists/pilgrims is highest in J&K and same is the case with Amarnath ji where the viability of ropeways is highest because the people have to go on foot for reaching that Shrine and the Government will get investors for these ventures in the first go. “If the Government desires, we too can propose investors for these locations and be added in the list of proposal for showcasing to the investors for investment,” he added and informed that Bhawan to Bhairon ropeway made revenue of Rs 20 crore, which would be highest in any ropeway in India.
Mr Kesar, while speaking on the occasion, said that J&K has vast potential for religious tourism and all religious places including Vaishnodevi Ji, Shiv Khori, Amarnath Ji etc have seen sharp increase in their pilgrim number in the last few years and these ropeways besides viability will increase Yatra influx tremendously to these places.
Virender Kesar, Sr Vice President of HRAK, emphasized for inclusion of road between Patnitop and Sanasar to be developed at the world class level on the Built, Operate and Transfer model so that it may remain operational for whole complete year.
The meeting among others was attended by Rohit Dubey, Sumit Khajuria, Vivek Sharma, Nishant Sharma, Kuldeep Dubey and Sudershan Sharma.