Jammu to get first ever adventure Hub at Aithem, Bajalta
JAMMU: In line with the Chief Minister’s directions regarding promotion of tourism infrastructure in Jammu province and periodical review by Atul Duloo, Chief Secretary, a joint team of officers from Tourism, Revenue, PWD and Forest Departments conducted on spot visit to assess the site’s potential for development of an adventure Hub at Aithem near Surinsar lake in Jammu district.
The team was led by Aijaz Qaiser, Joint Director Tourism, Jammu.
The site has already been recommended by the experts from the Indian Institute of Mountaineering & Skiing Gulmarg for Paragliding.
The visit was intended to develop Aithem as an adventure Hub for various adventure activities besides exploring the option of recreational and leisure tourism in addition to its suitability for paragliding.
In order to speed up the planning process and its subsequent execution, Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Yasha Mudgal, has directed the field officers to take the line departments and stakeholders on board during the planning phase of every project so that infrastructure blends with the natural surroundings, adhering to eco-friendly development norms.
The adventure Hub will come up as a major attraction site for the nature lovers, bird watchers, star gazers and adventure enthusiasts. The project will have state of the art facilities like eateries, public conveniences, Sunrise and Sunset points and Yoga platform.
Pertinently, yhe department of tourism has already trained a batch of 23 paragliders in P1, P2, P3 levels in collaboration with NIMAS Training Institute, Seppa, Arunachal Pradesh.
Vikas Gupta, Director Tourism Jammu, has taken up the matter with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, for imparting advance courses in paragliding (P4 &SIB) to the same set of 23 paragliders so that they can be eligible for their certification as tandem pilots.
To assess the site from a technical perspective including wind speed, wind direction and the gradient of the take-off point, the trained paragliders took-off solo test flights for the first hand experience and assessment. Their valuable insights on the infrastructure and interventions required to enhance the site’s appeal and safety were also sought.
The team also assessed the site to include Zip-line and para motoring activities alongside projects besides setting up of a state of the art paragliding project.
Accompanying the Joint Director were Savita Chauhan, Deputy Director Tourism, Jammu, AEE PWD, Jamal Din and other officials.