Jammu News: Hotel owners demanding better tourism infrastructure

Jammu. Jammu: A delegation of hotel and restaurant owners of Katra met senior officials of the Tourism Department and demanded better infrastructure around the Vaishno Devi Temple.

A delegation including Chairman of Hotel and Restaurant Association, Katra Rakesh Wazir, Chairman Sham Lal Kesar met Commissioner-cum-Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal in the presence of Joint Director Tourism Sunaina Sharma Mehta, Deputy Director Tourism Savita Chauhan among others.

Rakesh Wazir stressed that the need of the hour is to increase the number of accommodations for around 1 crore Vaishno Devi pilgrims in a year. “For this, the tourist places around Katra, especially Shivkhori, Patnitop, Natha Top Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Mansar, Surinsar, Kol Kandoli, Deva Mai etc need to be developed,” he said.

He said all industrial benefits need to be extended to the tourism sector as well, including power to hotels at par with industrial rates, GST reimbursement to hotels on the lines of manufacturing industry.

He particularly stressed on starting ropeways at Shivkhodi and Sanasar and also to start work on separate water scheme for hotels, which has been approved for a long time. The minister stressed that the new policy coming for land allotment for 5 star hotels should ensure that locals are also able to compete. The members urged the officials that the tourism department should use its energy in developing the tourism sector in the UT, including promotion of places of interest and exploring new destinations.