Jammu, Apr 20: Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora has exhorted the officers to accelerate the pace of progress on Travellers’ Mart at Lakhanpur so that it would be raised at the earliest to facilitate the tourists visiting the state.
 This, according to an official statement, was stated by the Minister while reviewing the status of this ambitious project at a high level meeting held here today.
 Jora instructed the officers to complete all the codal formalities for taking up early execution of the project directing concerned to retrieve encroachment besides ensuring complete possession of land to the tourism department well in time. He said that the execution of the project should not be delayed further mere for petty issues.
 Elaborating on salient features of the project, the Minister told that this huge venture will extend great services to the visitors through its Tourist Reception centre, Resort, landscaping, recreation and ancillary facilities. To be completed in phases, the project will further give impetus to tourism industry in the state.  He said that the work of first phase of the travellers Mart would be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.50 crore which will cover construction of ground floor, parking and approach path besides other facilities.
 It was informed in the meeting that 114 kanal of land has been acquired for creating the Mart, of which, 69 kanal of state land has been transferred to the tourism department while 45 kanal of private land has also been acquired for the purpose. Besides, a compensation of Rs. 67.49 lakh has been given to the land owners.
 The meeting was also told that this traveller mart is one of the components of integrated Circuit Development of Lakhanpur-Basholi-Bani-Sarthal project sanctioned under the scheme of Integrated Development of Circuit at a total cost of about Rs. 8 crore. It was also revealed that so far, Rs. 6.70 crore has been expended for completion of different works under the project.
 The Minister asked the Deputy Commissioner, Kuthua, to remove encroachment from the said land and give clear possession of the same to the department so that the work could be taken up at the earliest.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST