JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today finalised arrangements for the first-ever international marathon event to be held in Jammu this Sunday by the Tourism Department.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism; Renowned Adventure Tourism Expert, Chewang Motup; Commissioner Secretary, Health; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports; IGP Security; IG Traffic; Deputy Commissioner and SSP Jammu; Managing Director, JKTDC; Director Tourism, Jammu, and other senior officers.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary sensitised the officers about the importance of ensuring international-standard arrangements for the marathon, emphasising that it is the first event of its kind in Jammu. He directed all departments to thoroughly review their preparations to eliminate any possible gaps on the day of the event.
Taking stock of departmental readiness, the Chief Secretary sought detailed inputs from each Administrative Secretary regarding their respective roles. He stressed the need to make the marathon a spectacular event in every sense and envisioned it as an annual feature for Jammu, on the lines of the Kashmir Marathon.
He also underscored the necessity of constituting a permanent Steering Committee under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism.
The committee will include the Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports; Divisional Commissioners; IGP Traffic; Directors of Tourism, along with Chewang Motup, acknowledging his pivotal role in conceptualising and organising these international events here. The committee will be tasked with scheduling and promoting these events annually to facilitate greater participation from national and international runners.
The Chief Secretary further emphasised announcing event dates well in advance to enable international participants to plan their travel. He called for popularising such events to maximise participation and position Jammu & Kashmir as a premier destination for marathon tourism.
He reviewed key aspects, including route sanitisation, traffic management, medical preparedness, and deployment of volunteers to ensure smooth conduct of the event. He directed that routes for different race categories should not overlap and must be fit and safe for runners.
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Dr Ashish Chandra Verma, briefed the meeting on preparations and expected participation in the ‘Jammu Marathon 2026’. He informed that around 4,000 runners are expected to participate, with on-spot registrations also being facilitated.
Director Tourism, Jammu, Vikas Gupta, gave a detailed presentation on the arrangements made by various departments. He informed that 3,663 participants, including 91 international runners, have already registered for these events.
The marathon will be held on March 29, 2026, starting at sunrise from M A Stadium. The event will feature three race categories, including Half Marathon (21 km), 10 km Fitness Run, and 5 km Fun Run.
It was revealed that separate prize categories have been earmarked for men and women, along with special prizes for local participants. A total prize pool of ₹1.33 Cr will be distributed among the winners.
In the Half Marathon (21 km), prize money includes ₹15 lakh for first place, ₹10 lakh for second, ₹7 lakh for third, ₹3 lakh for fourth, and ₹2 lakh for fifth position. In the 10 km Fitness Run, winners will receive ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, ₹3 lakh, ₹2 lakh, and ₹1 lakh respectively. In the 5 km Fun Run, prizes range from ₹1 lakh for first place to ₹15,000 for the fifth position.
The meeting was also apprised of the detailed race routes, all starting and culminating at M A Stadium, with designated turnaround points for each category. Roles and responsibilities of departments were outlined, including support from volunteers drawn from Scouts & Guides and students of Higher and School Education institutions.
