Member Lok Sabha Jugal Kishore Sharma today conducted an extensive tour of Reasi District to review ongoing developmental projects and identify places of attraction for promoting heritage, adventure and conventional tourism in the region.
He was accompanied by Member Legislative Assembly Reasi, Kuldeep Raj Dubey, besides officials from key departments including Tourism, Railways, PWD, PHE and PMGSY. MP Jugal Kishore along with MLA Kuldeep Raj Dubey commenced their tour from the scenic Sulla Park Reasi and covered a wide range of important and culturally rich sites including Bharadhari Bridge Rafting Point, Khansi Patta Mandir, Siyad Baba, Outlet Mata Mandir, Salal Hydroelectric Dam, Chinkah, Khouri, Kanthan, Shiva Guffa.
The objective of the tour was to assess the tourism potential of the region, especially to attract pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi and identify strategic interventions to attract more tourists.
Detailed discussions were held at each location to evaluate ways of enhancing infrastructure, improving accessibility, and developing amenities to make Reasi a prominent tourism destination.
MP Jugal Kishore Sharma emphasized the need to align with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanirbhar Bharat, aiming to make Reasi district self-reliant through tourism-driven growth.
"Tourism not only brings visibility to our cultural heritage but also creates employment and business opportunities for the local youth," he said. Special focus was laid on promoting adventure tourism such as rafting, which has immense potential in the region.
Officials were directed to explore new projects and prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the beautification and development of all visited sites. Discussions were also held with Railway officials regarding developmental works to enhance connectivity and facilitate smoother travel for visitors.
The tour marks the beginning of a broader five-year vision to transform Reasi into a vibrant hub of cultural and adventure tourism.