Minister of State for Culture & Tourism, Priya Sethi today visited Suchetgarh Octroi Post with 94 pilgrims of Shri Amarnathji yatra in special border tour bus.Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control Sham Lal Chaudhary welcomed the yatris in his constituency, Suchetgarh.These tour buses are being operated by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with JKSRTC from Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar. The border tour buses take the pilgrims to Suchetgarh Border and its adjoining places while as the city tour buses take them to Ranbireshwar Temple, Raghunath Temple, Peer-Kho, Bawe Wali Mata, Fish Aquarium, Amar Mahal Palace, Mubarak Mandi and Balidaan Stambh.Speaking on the occasion, Priya Sethi said that this is an effort by the government to promote border tourism in the state. After this, the next step of the government would be to promote cross border tourism, she added.“Pilgrims are ambassadors for our state and the government wants to send a message of peaceful atmosphere and cultural harmony across the country through them,” the Minister said, adding that, this initiative would become a routine process in the days to come, she added.
The Minister further said that the government would restore old colonial Octroi building to a gallantry gallery, besides constructing multipurpose hall, children’s park and border meeting post at Suchetgarh border under Himalayan circuit of Swadesh Bharat Scheme of Central Government. The other places of historical and cultural importance including Jio Pota Ghat, Baba Chamliyal and Gharana Wetland would be included in tour circuits for promoting tourism in the state, she reiterated.The adequate arrangements for security of yatris have been put in place by deploying police personnel and traffic police officers in the bus, besides providing them with clean drinking water, information pamphlets and a guide for providing them information about the places of historical and cultural importance in the city. The Department of Tourism has also installed a stall at the Octroi post for assisting the pilgrims at the border.Later, the Minister visited Shri Raghunathji temple at Suchetgarh Border. Director Tourism, Sushma Chauhan, Joint Director, Tourism Namrita Dogra and other senior officers of the department accompanied the Minister during the tour to the border.