Golf Course for Jammu

Golf Course for Jammu: Still a distant dream

 Work delayed because of red-tapism

 
Yash Khajuria 

Jammu, May 22:  The much hyped golf course project aimed to promote the tourism attraction and to advance sports culture in outskirts of Jammu is in limbo as a result of apathetic approach of the authorities.

The 18 holes golf course in Sidhra stretched over an area of about 400 kanals which was expected to complete at the end of financial year 2011-12 is yet to come with completion as a result of turtle pace progress over the said project.

The newly laid Golf Course is of international standard possessing unique and picturesque location; with an amount of Rs. 21 crore has so far been spent on the development of 9 holes of the proposed 18 holes Jammu Tawi Golf Course.

Pertinent to mention that the government has started work over the said project in 2008 and the dilapidated exercise that too in patches has deprived desiring golfers of assaying their hands out there.

“Apparently, the golf course after completion will also add to the beauty and sylvan setting of this prestigious project of the Tourism Department despite all this the authorities are not offering the needed concern over this” said Sagun Basotra, an aspiring golfer.

When contacted to the Director Tourism Robin Singh Mehta over the delay in the completion of project he said that to come with such a high standard project it takes time but we have opened the golf course as the nine out of the 18 holes are ready while the remaining 9 holes are under construction, we are working with full dedication to get the project completed as soon as possible.

Moreover, the he said that the work has delayed as the committee has made some changes as of the initial project and one more reason is the insufficient allocation of funds in the middle of the project, but now the work is on full swing as we are hoping that in December 2012 we will come with a fully fledged golf course in the outskirts of Jammu.