Srinagar: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday reviewed a comprehensive tourism development roadmap for Jammu division and called for a broader strategy to transform the region from a transit point for pilgrims into a year-round tourism destination centred on religious, adventure, eco-tourism and cultural attractions.
Chairing a high-level meeting, Dulloo directed the Tourism Department to expand its plans to cover emerging destinations such as Bhaderwah, Sanasar and the Seven Lakes region, while ensuring better utilisation of existing tourism assets, including the Tawi Riverfront and Jambu Zoo.
He stressed the need for an integrated approach combining infrastructure development with destination-specific experiences so that tourism benefits reach a wider geographical area and generate employment opportunities for local communities.
The meeting reviewed a series of ongoing and proposed projects across Jammu division aimed at strengthening religious tourism, border tourism, adventure activities and eco-tourism infrastructure.
Among the major proposals is a ₹45.88-crore Detailed Project Report submitted to the Union Ministry of Tourism under the PRASHAD scheme for the development of the Purmandal-Utterbehni pilgrim circuit. The project includes landscaping, bathing ghats along the Devika river, illumination works, public amenities and waste-management infrastructure.
Officials informed the meeting that a ₹5-crore project has also been approved under the 2026-27 Tourism Work Plan for upgradation of facilities at the Shivkhori shrine.
The Tourism Department further proposed infrastructure improvements along the Shivkhori pilgrimage route, including shelter sheds, additional water points, waiting facilities, accommodation units and repairs to the track leading to the shrine.
The roadmap also includes development of the Aithem Mega Adventure Hub and Food Village in Reasi district over 215 kanals of land. While construction of the access road is underway, the second phase is proposed to be developed through a public-private partnership model and will feature adventure tourism activities, accommodation facilities and food courts.
To strengthen border tourism, officials said a ₹19.52-crore project has received administrative approval for upgrading facilities at the Suchetgarh Border Outpost. The project proposes expansion of visitor capacity and addition of facilities including a museum, restaurant, projector room and VIP lounge.
The meeting was also informed that work on the first phase of the Baradari river rafting destination in Reasi has achieved around 45 per cent physical progress and is targeted for completion by November 2026. A separate ₹18-crore proposal has been submitted for a second phase that includes docking, launching and visitor-handling infrastructure.
For Kathua district, the Tourism Department has proposed large-scale development of the Basohli-Ranjit Sagar Lake tourism destination under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 programme. A DPR worth ₹96.07 crore has been submitted, envisaging 13 major components including a zipline, lakefront recreational facilities, architectural lighting, heritage tourism infrastructure and a hop-on, hop-off bus service.
During the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar, suggested leveraging the annual pilgrim inflow to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine by encouraging a larger share of visitors to extend their stay and explore other destinations in Jammu division.
Officials said the roadmap aims to diversify tourism offerings across the region by linking pilgrimage sites with adventure, cultural, border and nature-based tourism attractions, while increasing visitor footfall, extending average stay duration and generating economic opportunities for local communities.
