Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone for Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board’s Tirth Yatri Niwas & Disaster Management Centre at Majeen near the Institute of Management, Public Administration & Rural Development (IMPARD), Jammu.

The Lt Governor congratulated Shri Amarnath ji devotees, Shrine Board officials and the Jammu region’s people for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Yatri Niwas.

“We have fulfilled a long-pending demand of all stakeholders, organisations associated with Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, devotees from across the country and abroad,” said the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor expressed his desire to develop Yatri Niwas as a symbol of compassion, spirituality, service, peace and happiness.

“Yatri Niwas is not merely a building. It needs to be developed as a centre for the awakening of consciousness, a confluence of ancient philosophy so that the devotees can feel bliss and may begin their further Journey to Shri Amarnath ji Shrine in South Kashmir with purity and perfection,” the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor directed Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board officials to establish a library for showcasing the spiritual and cultural heritage of J&K to visiting pilgrims.

“Work with greater commitment and dedication to provide safe and best-in-class facilities keeping in mind devotees’ faith and Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra’s timeless tradition,” the Lt Governor told the officials.

He said that a Yatri Niwas with a capacity of more than 3,200 pilgrims is under construction at Chandrakot in Ramban, and the foundation for another Yatri Niwas with a capacity of about 2,800 passengers was laid in August in Srinagar.

The Yatri Niwas in Jammu will also open up new employment avenues for the local population, especially for the youth, he added.

“Dharma has been the very essence of the Jammu region since ancient times. The morning breeze here is filled with the prayers just as all our Vedas, Upanishads, Shastras begin with a salutation to the almighty. Therefore, we are making dedicated efforts to serve all those starting their spiritual odyssey from the City of Temples,” said the Lt Governor.

Elaborating on the work being done to develop tourism in Jammu, the Lt Governor said a pilgrimage tourism circuit connecting Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Purmandal- Utterbehni, Mansar-Surinsar and Shiv Khori together is coming up to promote the unexplored tourism potential of Jammu to attract more tourists.

Durga Bhawan, a high utility pilgrim-centric facility at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, is under construction. Study for the restoration of Shiv Khori is being done and work on it will begin soon. “We are also exploring the feasibility of a ropeway at Shri Amarnathji Shrine,” the Lt Governor informed.

The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for inclusion of rejuvenation of Purmandal and Utterbehni in the PRASAD scheme.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lt Governor, reiterated the commitment of the UT Administration to provide comfortable and modern facilities to Shri Amarnath ji devotees.

Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta highlighted the J&K administration’s initiatives to improve facilities for visiting pilgrims. Once completed, the new Yatri Niwas would accommodate more than 3,000 pilgrims, he added.

Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta expressed gratitude to the UT administration and Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board for the Yatri Niwas.