Tawi Artificial Lake Project: Life Line For Jammu Tourism
Jammu, May 19: Taking the Earth News initiative of promoting tourism in J&K under its series J&K: A dream Destination ahead, today we would discuss the feasibility and utility of the proposed artificial lake project on river Tawi which of late has been embroiled into an unnecessary controversy.
Leaving the politics behind the project aside lets discuss what it can do to Jammu tourism if at all it is taken to its logical end for which it was conceived.
The majority of the Jammuites are of the opinion that scrapping of the lake project by the coalition government and the denial by a minister of the coalition has brought to the fore the differences within the coalition and discrimination and neglect of the Jammu tourism by the successive governments with the new government also toeing the same line there are several reasons why the government thinks it is not feasible.
While one section blames it on the erstwhile government in which a minister is said to have forcibly shifted the location of the barrage to help his business deal nearby where he had purchased huge land on throwaway prices, another section is of the opinion that despite the BJP sharing the power the Kashmir domination has not ended and denying Jammu its share in tourism was the main reason behind its delay and now talks of scarping the project.
If Prof Bhim Singh is to be believed the artificial lake on river Tawi was first conceived by Mahraja Hari Singh in early thirties but could not take up the project due to huge finances involved.
He also suggests that since British wanted to take over the project Maharaja Hari Singh declined the offer to safeguard the interests of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir particularly farmers as he feared British might play foul by violating the Royal Decree and taking over immoveable land from the poor Kashmiri farmers. It was the greatest gift of Maharaja Hari Singh to the petty farmers of J&K which has been protecting the ‘interest and the identity’ of the people of J&K, particularly the Kashmiri farmers he adds.
Adding another twist one of the Kashmir based organizations has been floating the idea that the project must be shelved as it may dent the popularity of Dal lake in Kashmir even though such a suggestion is dismissed by one and all since there was no comparison between the environment of Jammu and Kashmir valley.
Now let’s concentrate on what it means to Jammu tourism if the lake is actually built and necessary paraphernalia, infrastructure and safety measures are taken care of.
The lake can become the life line for the Jammu tourism as it can be a major tourist attraction for millions of pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishnodevi shrine every year and thousands of tourists who cross the city on their way to Kashmir Valley.
The Sidhra to Bhgawati Nagar and Sidhra to Bikram Chowk Tawi banks will become new Marine drives for Jammu if the roads along the banks are constructed and tourist related activities started as the lake can stretch upto Sidhra Bridge once the Tawi is dammed at Bhagwati Nagar.
Numerous tourist related activities can be started like, fishing, boating, leisure parks, activity parks, restaurants, hotels etc can come up along the banks of the river.
The Tawi lake view from Old fort, Golf course and Bhau fort can be one of the major tourist attractions not only pumping huge revenue to the state but also presenting a heavenly panoramic view of the Jammu city.
Since River Tawi has also religious significance it would add to the foot fall of tourists and coupled with the proposed Bahu Fort, Old fort gondola rope way this circuit has the potential to become one of the bets sightseeing locations in entire North India.
As is the case with Dal lake which has numerous hotels, restaurants and other places of activity along the circuit of the lake besides the panoramic view of the Srinagar city the artificial lake on river Tawi can act as a starting point for the tourists visiting J&K which would result in increased holiday packages of the tourists thus increasing the tourist foot fall and the revenue to the state.
The government must review the project and make suitable changes for the feasibility of the project so that Jammuites can also boast of equaling to Kenyir, Ooty and Sursagar artificial lakes right here in Jammu.