Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 14: In a major setback to the pilgrimage promotion, the newly constituted Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board has shelved the proposal to provide air connectivity to the revered shrine in Reasi district on the pattern of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine for unspecified period. In this way, the expenditure incurred on establishment of helipad has become unfruitful.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in its maiden meeting after nomination of new members, Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board deliberated upon the long pending proposal of providing chopper connectivity to this revered cave shrine and after discussion it was decided not to go ahead with the plan. This decision was taken despite the fact that helipad has already been constructed and only a culvert was required to be built on the approach road.
In this way, several years long planning of providing chopper connectivity to this shrine has met the undesirable fate and caused major setback to the much talked about initiatives of ensuring pilgrimage promotion, sources regretted. They disclosed that it was only on the directions of the Shiv Khori Shrine Board that plan for chopper connectivity was mooted and activities on ground were initiated to give practical shape to this move.
Responding to a question regarding the reasons cited for shelving the proposal, sources said that some members of the Board were of the opinion that since Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board was already planning to shift its helipad from Katra to village Hutt on Reasi road it would not be viable to start chopper service between Katra-Shiv Khori at present.
The Board decided that it would take decision on providing air connectivity to Shiv Khori Shrine only when Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine makes its helipad operational at Hutt”, sources said, adding “in view of this the Board even didn’t give nod to the construction of culvert on road leading to helipad at Reasi”.
Finding no justification behind shelving the proposal, sources said that Board should have kept in mind that shifting of helipad from Katra to village Hutt was still at infancy stage and long exercise was required to be conducted in this regard. “First of all land for helipad is to be acquired at village Hutt and then a team of Director General Civil Aviation would conduct spot inspection before giving clearance for establishment of helipad”, sources said, adding “the procedural formalities would take very long time before actual start of construction of helipad at Hutt”.
“Keeping all this in view, there was no reason for Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board to shelve the proposal to provide chopper connectivity. Moreover, what was the harm in operating choppers between existing helipad at Katra to Shiv Khori if there was any seriousness in translating into reality the plans about diverting Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims to Shiv Khori shrine”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that cave shrine of Shiv Khori depicts the natural formation of Shiv Lingam. It is one of the most venerated cave shrines of Lord Shiva in the region. The holy cave is more than 150 meters long and houses 4 feet high Svayambhu Lingam, which constantly baths in a milky lime fluid dripping from the ceiling. The cave is full of natural impression and images of various Hindu Deities. The number of pilgrims visiting this shrine is increasing every year and chopper service would have increased the number considerably.
The Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board, which remained defunct for quite long time after expiry of term of previous members before being reconstituted in the month of October last year, however, took some positive decisions vis-à-vis its employees and development of infrastructure.
The Board constituted sub-committee for finalization of draft rules governing its employees with the direction to its head to submit report within a period of one month positively. The Board also gave nod to the widening of first 500 meter stretch of the track, installation of security picket with facility of CCTV cameras at the base camp, construction of toilet block near Bhawan and furnishing of Ghauri Bhawan near cave shrine and Tourist Reception Centre at Ransoo in order to provide accommodation to the pilgrims.
The newly nominated members of the Board are Sardari Lal Dubey, Senior Advocate B S Slathia, Arun Gupta, Anupama Sharma and Ravi Magotra. Besides these members, MLA Reasi, Ajay Nanda also attended the meeting, which was chaired by Divisional Commissioner Jammu Shantmanu as Chairman of the Board. Vice-Chairman Shiv Kumar, who is also Additional Deputy Commissioner Reasi was also present in the meeting.
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