SRINAGAR: In a significant development aimed at enhancing the facilities for the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, Hardeep Singh Puri, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed a puja, marking the commencement of construction work for the Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Centre.
Under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), the Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Centre are being developed at Majeen Jammu at a cost of Rs 51 crore.
The Yatri Niwas, once completed, will provide accommodation for approximately 30,000 pilgrims annually and will be particularly beneficial for yatris from weaker sections of society. Additionally, it aims to improve traffic management and ensure a seamless experience for the devotees.
Thanking ONGC for the CSR initiative, Sinha expressed his appreciation for the approval of 4-5 more such Yatri Niwas under for the devotees of Amarnath Yatra. He commended the Chairman of ONGC, Shri Arun Kumar Singh, and the Board of Directors of ONGC for their outstanding support in realising the dream of the Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Center in Jammu.
He mentioned that the Yatri Niwas at Chandrakot, inaugurated in June 2022, accommodated around 50,000 devotees.
Efforts to strengthen communication connectivity are also underway, with the installation of telecommunication towers and Cell on Wheels by telecom service providers. Additionally, the Army is laying an optical fiber cable from Sonamarg to the Holy Cave, Sinha added.
Designed by the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, the Yatri Niwas is expected to be completed within a time frame of 18 months.
