JDA tasked with construction of water park in Jammu city

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday chaired a meeting to explore the feasibility of establishing a water theme park along the Tawi river in the Sidhra area of Jammu.

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The Chief Secretary reviewed the current status of the land identified by various departments near the Sidhra Golf Course along the Tawi river. He directed the Housing Department to ensure the land was free from encumbrances, particularly by obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NoC) from the Forest Department.

He advised the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to use this land as equity in the project, which would provide a source of regular income for the authority. He also suggested inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the creation of a water amusement park at the site through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, in line with the prepared plan.

Dulloo also underscored the need of taking this matter to the respective Board of Directors (BoD) of JDA for the same is empowered to take decisions about further course of action.

Dulloo pointed out that the water park would enhance the tourist appeal of Jammu, complementing existing attractions such as the Tawi Lake Front, Zoological Park and other facilities in the area. He highlighted that the development of such amusement attractions, along with improved infrastructure, would contribute to a significant increase in tourist footfall, positioning Jammu as a prominent tourist destination.

Commissioner Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD), Mandeep Kaur, presented the details of the project, informing the meeting that a plot of land measuring 92 Kanal and three Marlas, located at Dwara village (Sidhra area, adjacent to the Golf Course), has been identified by the JDA for the water park’s development.

She added that the proposed site was approximately four kilometres from the National Highway, suited for the project. The “Land Use” designation in the Master Plan 2032 is marked as ‘Recreation Use,’ and the land is valued at approximately Rs 129.36 crore. Preliminary estimates suggested that the park could attract around 20 lakh visitors annually, factoring in pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi and Amarnath Yatra, along with locals and tourists exploring other attractions in the region.