Heli services to Shiv Khori shrine soon: Div Comm

Devinder Thakur

Shiv Khori (Ransoo), Aug 28

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pawan Kotwal on Saturday said the helicopter services would soon be started to the Shiv Khori shrine from Katra, the base camp of the Vaishno Devi shrine.

Kotwal, who is also the chairman of the Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board, was addressing mediapersons on Saturday after inaugurating a special feeder for uninterrupted power supply at Shiv Khori.

He said the construction of a helipad and allied infrastructure along with the approach road had almost been completed and the helicopter services were likely to start soon.

The helicopter services are being started to promote pilgrim tourism.

A total of 11,24,473 pilgrims have offered prayers at the shrine so far this as compared to 8,04,685 pilgrims during the same period last year. There was an increase of 3,19,788 pilgrims over the last year, said Kotwal.

The Jammu Divisional Commissioner said over 3,000 devotees visit the shrine daily to offer prayers and their number had been increasing. He said the increasing number of pilgrims to the shrine clearly indicated that Reasi was emerging as one of the major tourist attractions of Jammu and Kashmir as tourists were coming from all parts of the country throughout the year.

Kotwal said tourists were also visiting religious places such as the Vaishno Devi shrine, Dera Baba Banda Bahadur, Agarjitto, Naun Devi, Dhansar Baba, Baba Siyad and Bhimgarh Fort and enjoying adventurous sports such as river rafting and hiking.