KATRA, Sep 1: A meeting of the office bearers and executive members of the Chamber of Tourism Trade and Industry Katra (CTTIK) was held under the chairmanship of its President, Raj Kumar Padha to deliberate upon various important issues concerning the smooth facilitation and better management of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, as well as matters relating to the welfare and interests of the local business community and residents of Katra. The meeting was attended by Babu Ram senior vice president, Sushil Dubey vice president, Rajnish Purohit general secretary, Atul Sharma secretary, Karan Vaid secretary, executive members Rattan Sharma, Vivek Gupta and Neelam Singh.
During the meeting detailed and threadbare discussions were held on the role of CTTIK and other stakeholders in facilitating pilgrims visiting the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. The members emphasized the need for close coordination among the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board , the local administration, tourism stakeholders and business establishments to ensure that pilgrims receive accurate information, proper guidance and all necessary facilities for a smooth, safe and comfortable pilgrimage.
The CTTIK members expressed serious concern over the increasing circulation of misinformation and unverified content regarding the status of the Vaishno Devi Yatra and various facilities available to pilgrims, particularly through reels and other social media platforms. It was observed that many prospective pilgrims tend to believe such unverified information which often creates unnecessary confusion and in some cases leads them to cancel or postpone their planned visit to Katra. The members felt that the circulation of such misleading content not only adversely affects the local tourism and business ecosystem but also does a disservice to the religious sentiments and faith of millions of devotees associated with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.
In view of this CTTIK made an earnest appeal to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha to consider initiating a daily official Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra Bulletin. The proposed bulletin may provide updated and authentic information regarding the current status of the Yatra, weather conditions, route accessibility, pilgrim movement, accommodation and transport facilities, health and emergency services, advisories and other important arrangements made for devotees. CTTIK believes that a regular official bulletin would serve as a credible and reliable source of information for pilgrims across the country and abroad, while effectively countering misinformation and unverified social media content. Such an initiative would also contribute significantly towards the better regulation, management and facilitation of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.
The meeting also discussed important issues concerning the welfare of the residents of Katra. CTTIK requested that the local residents of Katra should be provided access to subsidized healthcare facilities at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Speciality Hospital, Kakryal considering the significant contribution and association of the local community with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage and its supporting ecosystem. The members further sought appropriate reservation of seats and concessional or subsidized tuition fees for deserving local students of Katra at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University so that the youth of the region can benefit from quality higher education and greater opportunities for their future.
The office bearers unanimously resolved that CTTIK will continue to work closely with all concerned authorities and stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, dissemination of authentic information, welfare of the local community and sustainable development of Katra as one of the country’s most important pilgrimage destinations.