Jammu, Jul 17: Union Minister of State in PMO, Jitendra Singh on Friday announced that the “gateway to Jammu and Kashmir” will be developed into an attractive entry point through a unique gateway monument and comprehensive beautification works in Lakhanpur, at an estimated cost of over Rs 1.5 crore.
He said the project estimate was already prepared and funds would be mobilised through the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) and other available resources.
Singh also stated that while Shahpur Kandi project had become operational, the work on Ujh multi-purpose project would start soon.
Singh was interacting with the local street food vendors, traders, who accorded him a warm welcome on Friday during his visit to the Lakhanpur vendors’ market. His visit follows the Government of India’s decision to include Lakhanpur among 50 towns across India to be developed as ‘Street Food Hub” under the PM SVANidhi initiative.
Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome, Singh, who is also the Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences besides being the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi consistently focussed on welfare-oriented development rather than vote-oriented politics.
He remarked that several long-pending projects, which had remained neglected before 2014, were revived and implemented with renewed commitment under the present government.
Highlighting the significance of the PM SVANidhi Scheme, the Union Minister said that for the first time in the country’s history, the welfare of street vendors was addressed through a dedicated government initiative. He observed that street vendors had remained outside the policy focus of successive governments, but the sensitivity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that neglected sections of society were brought into the mainstream through schemes that provided dignity, financial support and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Singh said Lakhanpur’s selection in the first phase of the Street Food Hub initiative highlighted the government’s dedication in empowering small vendors while creating organised, hygienic and visitor-friendly vending spaces.
The Minister informed that the Ministry had received 126 proposals from 32 States and Union Territories, covering 106 Urban Local Bodies and seven census towns.
The proposed Street Food Hub at Lakhanpur will be developed across two clusters in Lakhanpur Market – one near the Old Bus Stand and the other near the Sales Tax Office. Strategically located at the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir from Pathankot and on the route to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, the location witnesses substantial movement of tourists, pilgrims and transit travellers throughout the day.
Spread across 1,754.25 square metres, the hub will provide modern vending infrastructure while promoting Dogra cuisine and other local culinary traditions in a clean, organised and visitor-friendly environment.
Singh said the project was planned keeping local welfare at its core, adding that even the tendering process was designed to maximise benefits for local people. The hubs would showcase Dogra cuisine and other regional delicacies, strengthen local entrepreneurship and transform Lakhanpur from merely a transit point into a recognised culinary destination, he said.
Referring to other major development initiatives in the region, the Union Minister said, “The Shahpur Kandi Project, which had remained stalled for nearly four decades, has now become operational. Along with the revived Ujh multipurpose project, pending for nearly a century and now in its final stages of approval, these projects will significantly improve irrigation facilities in Kathua, Samba and parts of Jammu district while ensuring better utilisation of water resources.”
The minister also inaugurated a statue of Maharaja Gulab Singh at Lakhanpur.
Installed at the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir, the statue has emerged as an important landmark reflecting the cultural and historical identity of the region. Singh maintained that the memorial honoured Maharaja Gulab Singh’s contribution to nation-building while instilling pride among the younger generation about the history and heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
He further informed that approvals were obtained for naming the Kathua Railway Station after Shaheed Captain Sunil Sharma and expressed confidence that the formal process would be completed shortly.
Responding to queries regarding the shifting of the vehicle fitness testing facility from Kathua to Samba, Singh clarified that the move was necessitated by the establishment of a modern, technology-driven automated testing facility at Samba. He added that the arrangement was temporary and that a proposal to establish a similar state-of-the-art facility in Kathua was already under consideration by the competent authorities.
The local street food vendors and residents thanked the Union Minister for securing the PM SVANidhi Street Food Hub for Lakhanpur, stating that the initiative would provide a clean, organised and dignified working environment for vendors while enhancing facilities for pilgrims, tourists and other visitors.
