![Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Municipal Committee Katra officers and members holding joint meeting on Thursday. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Municipal Committee Katra officers and members holding joint meeting on Thursday.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/a-8.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Feb 14: A joint meeting of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and newly constituted Municipal Committee, Katra, was held at the Spiritual Growth Centre here today.
Simrandeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Vimal Indu, President, Municipal Committee, Katra; Dr. Jagdish Mehra, Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Katra; and Deepak Dubey, Dy. CEO of the Shrine Board participated in the meeting. Various Members of the Municipal Committee, Katra who also participated in the deliberations included Ambrish Magotra, Ravinder Singh Nag, Veekey Roy, Tara Chand, Reena Baru, Bindu Sharma and Renu Bala.
The meeting deliberated on various short, medium and long term measures required in Katra town for the augmentation, creation and upgradation of civic amenities.
The President and Members of the Municipal Committee, Katra sought more support of the Shrine Board in further augmenting civic amenities for the benefit of the pilgrims and the local population.
Simrandeep Singh said that the Shrine Board has continuously been taking various initiatives for upgradation of civic amenities at Katra, the base town for the pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji. He added that the Shrine Board has completed various developmental works in Katra town during last year involving a cost of Rs. 338 lakh.
These included providing and fixing of Ornamental Railing on the Central Verge of the road leading to Railway Station, Katra with dual lamp LED street lights, providing and fixing of Children Playground equipments at Shalimar Park, construction of road and drain in Ward No. 2, construction of Circular Road from Hansali via Bhumika Mandir to Panthal Road, construction of lane and drain from Matyal Petrol Pump to Darshani Deodi; and also contributing Rs. 358 lakh for residential quarters for doctors and para-medical staff of CHC Katra.
The CEO further said that recently the Board has taken up three more works in Katra town at an estimated cost of Rs. 206.51 lakh. Recently, the Board has also approved the reconstruction of old Block of Government Girls High School, Katra; construction of Toilet Block in Government Higher Secondary School, Katra and repair and renovation of lane and drain by way of laying interlocking tiles in Ward No. 4 and also construction of 4-lane approach road to ISBT Katra. These works will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs. 863 lakh. The CEO further assured greater cooperation and participation in future as well.