Pristine haven

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Pristine haven

Thursday, 03 October 2019 | Deepika K Sharma

Pristine haven

Deepika K Sharma, Director, Tourism, Jammu, says that the area has a lot of potential and can be referred to as an undiscovered paradise

  • Which areas of Jammu are being developing as tourist destinations?

Right now Jammu tourism is in its infancy stage because of various reasons. It has not been able to upgrade itself. The topography in Jammu is different as in some parts it is similar to Kashmir and in others, Himachal Pradesh.

While Kashmir is called a Paradise on Earth but Jammu can be referred to as the undiscovered paradise. So, we are trying to promote it. We have presented several proposals to the government.

The Jammu region is known for religious tourism and our aim is to divert these pilgrims and encourage them to explore more. Adventure tourism is another area we are looking into because of the variety of destinations that we have. And then, there is heritage tourism as well because the Dogra kings lived here and their properties are scattered across Jammu. We are trying our level best to upgrade them and make them accessible to tourists.

  • How many pilgrims visited the area last year and by encouraging adventure and culture tourism, what is the kind of increase that you are looking at?

Last year around 1.5 crore pilgrims came to Jammu. There are two to three destinations near Katra, for instance,  which were developed into tourist destinations without much efforts. There is Patni Top, Bhaderwah and Reasi where there is white water rafting. When you look at the landscape there, you will realise why it is called mini Switzerland.

  • What are the initiatives that you have planned to market these destinations on the tourist circuit?

Yes, we are definitely planning several activities. Jammu and Kashmir are planning several road shows together. In all these, whether it is in the domestic market or the international one, we are  trying to showcase the government’s plans to develop the area and facilitate tourism.

  • A rapid increase in tourism can harm the ecosystem. Do you have a blueprint too prevent this?

Yes. We have thought about it at the planning stage itself and will call professionals in various fields for their suggestions and guidance. This will help us upgrade in different areas. There are various schemes of the Government of India which are being executed. We are building adventure hub on Ranjit Sagar dam. Not only this, we are also building international spiritual retreat centre in Mantalai which will be ready within one and half years. Then we are restoring a huge heritage complex called Mubarak Mandi in Jammu.

One thing that I really want to point out is this, that while Kashmir is often bogged down by security issues which in turn affects the tourism industry here as well. Booking in Jammu and Ladakh are cancelled. But these places are beautiful and peaceful. People need to keep this in mind and also the fact that it is 300 kilometre away from Kashmir.

Photo: Ranjan Dimri

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