Panitop to utilise tourism potential to the maximum

Jammu: After the completion of the 2.8-km eco-friendly cable car project, the picturesque Patnitop hill resort in Jammu region is back in the focus with the authorities directing the mapping of trekking routes in its periphery to develop it as a trekker's heaven.

Principal Secretary, Industries, Commerce and Tourism Department, Navin K Choudhary, also directed the Director Tourism Jammu, Deepika K Sharma to explore the possibility of initiating dedicated bus service to the hill resort to utilise the tourism potential of the area to the maximum. Choudhary, who inspected the Cable Car Project on Saturday, stressed upon the need of creating more facilities and accommodations for the tourists in the area.

The ropeway project has been completed by Empyrean Skyview Projects Private (ESPP) Limited in collaboration with a French company on a Public-Private Partnership model at a cost of Rs 150 crore recently and is being formally inaugurated by the state Governor Satya Pal Malik soon. Thanks to a cable car project, the resort is all set to regain the glory and hustle-bustle it lost after it fell off the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway route due to the construction of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel.

During his visit, the Principal Secretary directed the Chief Executive Officer, Patnitop Development Authority Pran Singh, to map the trekking routes in the area to develop it as trekker's heaven. Appreciating the state of art cable car Project built with the latest technology, Choudhary said the project will not only attract the tourists but also increase the economy of the area tremendously. He directed the Director Tourism Jammu Deepika K Sharma to explore the possibility of initiating dedicated bus service to Patnitop to utilise the tourism potential of the area to the maximum, an official spokesman said on Sunday.

He also emphasised on the need of outsourcing the under-utilised accommodation assets of the department for maximum revenue generation and enhancing tourist facilities in the area. While inspecting the land for proposed Food Park to be built at 25 Kanal (3.125 acres), Choudhary directed the General Manager Industries Suram Chand Sharma to expedite the formulation of Detailed Project Report. Later, the Principal Secretary inspected the work of International Yoga Centre being built at nearby Mantalai at an estimated cost of Rs 86.27 crore, the spokesman said adding he stressed upon the timely completion of the project after getting a briefing from the concerned on the project.

He also advised Patnitop Development Authority to come up with the simultaneous submission of the proposal regarding additional requirements to make the project International Yoga Centre functional on time, the spokesman said. Surrounded by Deodar trees, lush green forests, the Yoga centre is coming up over sprawling 125 acres as part of the 'integrated development of tourist facilities' project at Mantalai-Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit.

The work on the project had commenced in 2017 as part of Government's initiative to develop Jammu as a tourist destination and was conceived to attract domestic and foreign tourists, officials said. They said facilities like swimming pool, airstrips, spa, helipads, gymnasium, auditorium, hostels and business convention centre are coming up at the centre beside the project also included cafeteria at Sudhmaha Dev and Patnitop.

The 9.28-km Chenani-Nashri tunnel along Jammu-Srinagar highway opened in April 2017, reduced the distance between the two capital cities by 30 km and travel time by two hours, bypassing destinations like Patnitop, Kud and Batote. The lower terminal of the cable car project is at Sangeet, three kilometres from the Chenani-Nashri tunnel while the upper terminal is at Patnitop.

The ropeway is easily accessible by the tourists. The places which are in proximity to the lower terminal station at Sangeet are Sudh Mahadev, Gauri Kund and Mantalai, all having religious significance, while localities such as Nathatop, Madhatop and Sanasar are near the upper terminal at Patnitop.