Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today said the Navratra celebrations remind us of the existing bonds of brotherhood, harmony and also urge us to ensure their consolidation for taking forward the values of humanism and oneness.The Deputy Chief Minister was speaking at a function organized by the Traders Federation of the Warehouse Jammu in connection with the celebrations of the Navratras here today.Senior BJP leader and MLA East Mr Rajesh Gupta, IGP Jammu, Mr S D Singh Jamwal, DIG Jammu, Mr Ashkoor Wani, Mahant Rameshwar Dass, Mr Rajesh Gupta, President Traders Federation Warehouse, other office bearers of the Federation, Mr Rajesh Gupta, Chairman Jammu Chamber of Industries, senior BJP leader Mr Ashwani Sharma, businessmen, prominent citizens and people from different walks of life were present on the occasion.Terming the Warehouse as the nerve centre of Jammu’s economic activities, the Deputy Chief Minister said it would soon be given a holistic makeover so that the problems and other related issues being faced by the trading community are redressed. He said this would ensure that the augmentation of the already existing infra is done besides providing with all the modern facilities which would boost trade related activities in the area.
Referring to the major initiatives taken for developing the Jammu city, the Deputy Chief Minister said Rs 200 crore have been earmarked for the construction of the prestigious multi-storey parking facility at B C Road to ease out the traffic congestion in the area, besides providing parking facility to the people living in the catchment areas, two similar kinds of parking projects are underway at Super Bazaar and Panchtirthi. He said that the old city Jammu would be developed on the heritage pattern so that the local architectural patterns and other related things are conserved.“Work on the prestigious Tawi River Front Development Project is also being fast-paced so that it gets completed within the stipulated time frame and comes up as a major tourist attraction in the city, besides, the Maharaja Hari Singh Park is also coming up beautifully which would be having the requisite recreational facilities besides, the provision of having reading rooms, book shops and other related facilities”, the Deputy Chief Minister said and added in tourism sector Rs 280 crore have already been allocated to promote the tourism in the region which also includes Rs 150 crore project for cable car on PPP mode at Patnitop and Rs 60 crore for Jammu Cable Car projects.
“Renovation of the historic Mubarak Mandi which would also come up as one of the major tourist attractions in the Jammu city is also underway," Dr Singh added.Mr Rajesh Gupta also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the achievements registered by the government in various fields and urged the people to play a participatory role in day to day governance. He said the government would solve all the problems of the Warehouse traders as they form the backbone of the Jammu’s trading activity.The Deputy Chief Minster later visited Lakhri in Billawar area of district Kathua and attended the Shrimahd Bhagwat Sapath and paid obeisance there besides meeting Sant Subash Shastri.Addressing a largely attended public gathering at Lakhri, the Deputy Chief Minister said a new era of development has been undertaken in Billawar at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore are underway. He said these would ensure that the sustained development of the area is done.Dr Singh said that the instructions have already been passed to ensure that the works are completed within the set timelines so that the cost escalation and other related things are averted. He also appealed the people to play participatory role in the execution of works so that the development is carried out without delay and the necessary feedback about these is also obtained.On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister also announced that the Detailed Project Report of the highway between Dyalachak and Shahla coming up with an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore is being prepared for increasing the connectivity of the area.