Jammu, Akhnoor to be brought under ambit of Navratra Festival while ensuing Festive Events

Jammu, September 09 - The tourism department has taken a slew of measures to bring Jammu and its adjoining places having religious importance under the ambit of Navratra festival held every year at Katra town to attract pilgrims visiting revered Mata Vasihno Devi Shrine.

The department is looking forward to extend the scope of the festival as far away as Akhnoor town.

The information was given at a meeting convened to discuss the arrangements for the up coming festivals including Navratra and Dussehra by District Development Commissioner, Jammu, Mr M K Dwivedi in the chair.

Director Tourism M S Shani , SSP Jammu Manhor Singh, officers from health , JMC, R&B, PHE, traffic , besides representatives from Sanatan Dharam Trust, Dharamarth Trust and other socio -religious organizations attended the meeting

The meeting was informed that the department has decided to illuminate major monuments including Bahu Fort in Jammu and the famous fort in the border town Akhnoor situated on the banks of mighty river Chenab.

It was also informed out in the meeting that management committees of the major temples of the city have also been asked to arrange illumination of their respective temples to add to the festive atmosphere.

Director Tourism, Mr M S Sahni said that the move aims at attracting and retaining chunk of lakhs of pilgrim tourists who visit Vaishnio Devi Shrine during this period, at Jammu and also divert them to other places of religious importance in the state.

The Director tourism also listed various events scheduled to be held at the selected places during the festival.

The meeting also discussed in detail arrangements, including provision for medical, power and water facilities at religious places for the devotees who come for darshan, besides assistance to be extended by various departments to the Santan Dharam trust for organizing Shobha Yatra and major Dusserha celebrations at Parade ground and Gandhi Nagar.

District Development Commissioner, M K Dwivedi directed the concerned departments to extend full cooperation to the management committees of the Trust. He asked the Jammu Municipality to ensure cleanliness and better sanitation during the festival days across the Jammu city in general and around the venues of the festival in particular.

Similarly, Power and PHE department were asked to make adequate arrangements to ensure adequate supply of water and power, and also to meet exigencies in the event of any eventuality.

The representatives from these trust also projected certain possible problems which they are likely to face in conducting the celebrations, including disruption in free movement of devotees and Shobha Yatra due to dug up roads. They also referred to traffic chaos due to poor regulations and asked for taking measures to set it in order.

	Click here to read more information on Navratra Festival at Katra.
	Click here to view Photo Gallery of events during Navratra Festival.