Samba’s religious places crave govt attention: Manjit

Samba, July 23: Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu and former minister, S Manjit Singh on Tuesday urged the J&K government to develop and promote Baba Sandokh Nath Ji at Samailpur in Samba district on the tourism map to boost the local economy of the area.
“Baba Sandokh Nath Ji is a religious place at Smailpur that is visited by the people from across various districts in the Jammu region. However, the people are disheartened because of the lack of attention of the authorities to develop the place and provide basic amenities,” Singh said during his meeting with the prominent people, and locals at Smailpur in Bari Brahmana, Samba.
The former minister said, “It was unfortunate that the government is promoting other places and has not considered the development in Baba Sandokh Nath Ji which thousands of people visit daily. This place deserved to have better road connectivity, electricity, supply of clean drinking water, canteens/eateries, lanes, drains, sanitization, garbage collection, and transport facilities for the pilgrims,” he suggested, while asking the authorities to consider the development, and promotion of Baba Sandokh Nath Ji’s place.”
He said that if these developmental initiatives are taken, the tourist department plays an important role in promoting the religious pilgrimage of the people coming from outside J&K, who visit Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine at Katra, Raghunath Ji Temple in Jammu and other places.
The Apni Party leader also sought the attention of the authorities towards the Parmandal which also lacks proper development and basic amenities.