Katra rail link brings worry for traders, hoteliers in Jammu
Yash
Khajuria
JAMMU, Dec
05: The
completion of the much awaited Katra Railway Station which is scheduled to be
commissioned on March 2013 will bring cheer for commuters, but transporters and
hoteliers of Jammu fears that it would adversely affect their business.
The
Jammu Tawi Railway Station which is the key transit spot for the commuters
coming from the rest of the India via rail Link is providing the business for
the local transporters and hoteliers besides the tiny traders who generate
their bread and butter by their respective business only bythe large exchange
of the tourists.
But
the million dollar question is what will be the future of Jammu after the train
gets operational.
Where
on the one side Chief Public Relation Officer, Northern Railway Neeraj Sharma
informed that the 25.2 km rail link which is being constructed since 2004 would
be operational by March next year will provide a direct link for the commuters
to connect with the base camp of Mata Vaishnodevi shrine in Trikuta hills, and
around 14 passenger trains would run on the Udhampur-Katra route which is
expected to meet the heavy influx of passengers.
On
the other hand the government is falling short in sprouting possible business
for the local traders on the offset of deficit by this direct Rail link.
In
this context senior vice-president- Transporters Welfare Association Jammu,
Anil Chopra says, “Undoubtedly, the development is needed for the overall
development of the state but at the same time the government has to be
concerned about those who will be jobless after this rail link becomes
operational”.
We
already had demanded to the tourism authorities to develop some side scenes
within the vicinity of district Jammu so that the tourist could get attracted
to this side of the state which is already falling short as far as the tourist
spots. But It seems the government is more concerned about the promotion of
tourism in Kashmir province because whenever a financial package is announced
by the authorities to boost tourism in the state, a major chunk of it goes to
the Valley,” he said.
Many
projects able to compensate the business for the Jammuties which includes the
artificial Lake project at Tawi, Cable Car Project and project of Developing
Border tourism are the tale of just announcements as the deadlines are
extending one by one.
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