Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 14: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that people of India and Pakistan would benefit a lot from the opening of cross-LoC routes like Suchetgarh-Sialkot and Kargil Askardu as it would not only enhance people-to-people contacts but also flourish the trade on both sides. She added that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also shown his keenness in opening the cross-LoC points.
She stated this while addressing the gathering during signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Sabarmati River Front Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL), Ahmedabad for developing river Tawi on the patterns of Sabarmati in Gujarat. The MoU was signed in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who holds the charge of Housing and Urban Development Department.
Rs 1000 crore 10 kilometers project for development of river Tawi from Bhagwati Nagar to Nagrota on the pattern of Sabarmati will be taken up in the phases with Phase-I covering 2.5 kilometers area from Bhagwati Nagar to Gujjar Nagar costing Rs 220 crores.
Mehbooba told the gathering at Jammu Convention Centre during signing of the MoU that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too had shown his keenness in opening more cross-LoC routes for boosting tourism and trade in Jammu and Kashmir and she was hopeful of positive response from the Centre.
“When I met Rajnath Singh recently and took up the issue of opening of cross-LoC points, he was very positive. I stressed for opening of Suchetgarh-Sialkot and Kargil-Askardu routes among others and he (the Home Minister) assured that he would take up the matter with concerned Ministry for immediate action,” the Chief Minister said.
Pointing out that there has been not much development on Pakistan side of the cross-LoC routes, Mehbooba said the Pakistani people will also benefit from opening of the routes as tourism and trade will also flourish on their side like Jammu.
She said apart from the common man, the industrial sector in Jammu and Kashmir would also benefit a lot as trade of rice and many other items would get boost when the routes like Suchetgarh-Sialkot are opened for tourism and trade, which have great potential on the two sides.
“Not only, the cross-LoC points, the PDP-BJP Government was focusing at various places to develop tourism in a big way in Jammu,” she said, adding that there were several destinations in various parts of Jammu, which can become very potential tourist points to make Jammu an independent tourism destination, which was cherished goal of late Chief Minister and my father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,” Mehbooba said, adding she was committed to fulfill the dream.
She named number of destinations, which were being developed as tourist spots in Jammu region to attract tourists and help boost the trade. She said the people, where the tourist destinations were being developed, would benefit a lot when tourists would start pouring in there.
As per the MoU signed between JDA Vice Chairman Mubarak Singh and SRFDCL Executive Director GH Shah, the Sabarmati Corporation, which was a constituency of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Gujarat and had developed Sabarmati river, the SRFDCL will give the JDA Detailed Project Report for development of Tawi riverfront for Phase-I i.e. 2.5 kilometers from Bhagwati Nagar to Gujjar Nagar within a month or so after which the State Government will approach the Union Ministry for Water Resources and River Development for funding the project for which the talks has already been initiated. BJP leader Uma Bharti heads the Ministry.
Rest of the DPR i.e. the complete 10 kilometers long project from Bhagwati Nagar to Nagrota will be submitted by the Sabarmati Corporation in due course of time.
The Government in the Phase-I would take up the project from Bhagwati Nagar to Gujjar Nagar covering a distance of 2.5 kilometers at the cost of Rs 220 crores. The complete project of 10 kilometers would cost around Rs 1000 crores.
The JDA, which was executing agency for the project, has already given complete data and information to the Sabarmati Corporation, on the basis of which, the Corporation has submitted pre-feasibility report.
The pre-feasibility report pointed out that the project was completely viable.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti today, in her address, showered praises on Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh saying he has emerged as tall leader of Jammu.
“There was some dearth of leaders in Jammu, who could rightly project demands of the region at the State and national levels. I think, the people have got that leader in Dr Nirmal Singh,” Mehbooba said.
An official handout said:- Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today called for launching a comprehensive conservation and restoration programme for the rivers and water bodies of the State. She said the organisations having expertise in conservation of water bodies can be co-opted to provide technical assistance on this front.
“The Government is committed to preserve the State’s precious water bodies and extricate these of pollution,” the Chief Minister said.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, Minister of State for Tourism, Priya Sethi, MP, Jugal Kishore, Vice-Chairman SC Board, Bushan Dogra, MLAs, Rajesh Gupta and Satpal Sharma were present on the occasion of signing the MoU.
Mehbooba said the restoration of Tawi front would add to the tourism potential of Jammu and would facilitate the Government’s efforts to develop the winter capital as an independent tourism destination. She expressed the hope that the involvement of SRFDCL would help give an expert and new touch to the development of Tawi River Front as has been done in case of Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad.
She said a similar initiative was taken by the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 2002 for development of Jhelum Front and today the Jhelum banks have become a scenic spot in Srinagar which otherwise had turned into den of anti-social activities.
The Chief Minister said there is no dearth of tourist destinations in Jammu and with its treasure trove of heritage sites the city will attract a huge footfall of tourists. “The Government will strategize and diversify activities for development of Jammu as an independent tourist destination for which a comprehensive plan has been drawn up,” she said.
She said immediately on her arrival here this afternoon, she enquired from the Divisional Commissioner Jammu about the progress of restoration work of Mubarak Mandi Complex. She said Jammu ahs other potential tourist destinations as well which can attract huge number of tourists. She mentioned about Ranjit Sagar Dam in Basohli, Akhnoor Fort, Mughal Sarai in Rajouri, Patnitop, Surinsar, Mansar, Jai in Bhaderwah, Warwan in Kishtwar and Mantalai in Udhampur as places where all ongoing projects will be fast-tracked. She said this will position Jammu as an emerging destination for inbound as well as foreign visitors.
In his address, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh credited the vision of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in promoting Jammu as an independent tourism destination. He said the idea of Tawi Front Development, although conceived long back, was only expedited on the directions of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. “The MoU being signed here today is because of the efforts the late Mufti Sahab,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the Government has launched major developmental initiatives in various sectors and the results will be there for the people to see.
He also felicitated the people of Jammu for this historic intervention in restoring the glory of Tawi river.
The overall objective of the Tawi project is to provide high quality River Training and Flood Protection Infrastructure to increase the safety of the Jammu city infrastructure and properties. This will result in the creation of reclaimed land which can be used for creation of recreational and other urban development components and also to promote tourism through various development activities. The project is also aimed at addressing the problem of Sewage presently flowing directly into the river Tawi.
Tawi River originates from the lap of Kali Kundi glacier and adjoining area southwest of Bhaderwah in Doda district. The catchment area of the river up to border in Jammu is 2168 km and falls in the districts of Jammu, Udhampur and a small part of Doda. The length of river Tawi is about 141 kms. After traversing Jammu City, the river joins Chenab River.
Tawi River flows through the city of Jammu and is considered sacred and holy, as is the case with most rivers in India. The river traverses through the city of Jammu dividing it into two parts and is analogous to the Sabarmati River in Gujarat which also traverses through Ahmadabad City.
The proposal for development of Tawi River Front was initiated in 2002 but no progress could be made on the project due to lack of knowhow and funds.
MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma and MLAs, Rajesh Gupta and Satpal Sharma also addressed the gathering.
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner / Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department, Hridesh Kumar, Vice-Chairman, Jammu Development Authority, Mubarak Singh, Managing Director SRFDCL, D Thara, Executive Director SRFDCL, D H Shah and other officers of H&UDD and SRFDCL were present on the occasion.
Prominent citizens of Jammu including Sardar Rangil Singh, Ved Mahajan, Dhaman Bhasin, Falail Singh, Vijay Dogra and others were also present on the occasion.
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