Udhampur / Patnitop – November 7: In a concerted drive to upgrade regional tourism infrastructure and implement sustainable eco-tourism standards across Jammu’s highland resorts, Secretary to the Government, Tourism Department, Avny Lavasa, undertook an extensive inspection tour across Kud, Patnitop, and Sanasar under the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) jurisdiction.
Chief Executive Officer of PDA, Rakesh Dubey, briefed the Secretary on the administrative performance, master plan implementation, ongoing engineering packages, and long-term blueprints aimed at transforming the Patnitop-Sanasar circuit into a premier year-round destination. Lavasa chaired an exhaustive review meeting with sectoral engineers and field personnel to establish strict execution timelines.
The review encompassed major leisure, adventure, and urban renewal projects. These include the development of the high-altitude Tulip Garden at Sanasar, the expansion of the nine-hole Sanasar Golf Course, construction of eco-friendly bamboo tourist huts, an artificial waterfall, and dedicated musical park walkways. The Secretary also inspected civil works on stone pathways connecting Sanasar Bus Stand with the scenic lake, landscaping at Children’s Park Patnitop, drainage networks, solid waste management systems, solar illumination, and the widening of the Patnitop Circular Road.
Issuing strict project management directives, Lavasa ordered executing agencies to mobilize additional workforce and heavy machinery to prevent seasonal delays. “Timely completion without compromising on architectural quality or ecological safeguards is non-negotiable. Modern tourism assets must be rigorously monitored and maintained to provide seamless visitor experiences,” she noted.
Taking stern note of unauthorized construction within the eco-fragile hill jurisdiction, Lavasa mandated daily surveillance inspections by PDA enforcement squads to prevent illegal land encroachments and enforce strictly regulated development. She further ordered that all public washrooms and sanitation blocks across tourist transit hubs be maintained with high hygiene standards.
During the tour, a deputation representing local Ponywalas met with the Secretary to submit grievances regarding track paving and weather-shelter sheds, to which Lavasa assured that their legitimate operational concerns would be addressed swiftly on merit.
Published by True Roots Media