48 Day long Amarnath Yatra to begin on July 2

The annual Amarnarh Yatra to the Himalayan Hindu cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will begin on July 2 and conclude on August 24, it was announced here on Monday. The schedule and arrangements for this year’s pilgrimage were discussed in a meeting, chaired by Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) at the Raj Bhavan here on Monday. Announcing the schedule after the meeting, SASB CEO PK Tripathi said that 7,500 yatris per day are permitted to undertake the yatra along each…

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NHPC ‘blocks’ JK’s first wind farm project

The J&K government’s plans to set up its maiden wind-power project have hit a roadblock, with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) claiming ownership of the land identified for the project near the Corporation’s Salal hydropower scheme in Jammu, sources said on Sunday. The State Government had approved the proposal to set up the wind farm under a centrally-sponsored scheme in 2012 and after a detailed survey, a place in Bidda village of Reasi district near 690-MW Salal project was found most feasible for setting up the project—the first of…

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Online travel portals take major share of hotel rooms in Kashmir

Hoteliers prefer outside agents to locals for secure business The mass hotel bookings by online travel companies like MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, Yatra has sounded a death knell for local travel agents who are not in a position to book the rooms for their clients. Most of the hotels and houseboats – high-end as well as budget category – have tied up with these multi-million dollar companies to secure advance bookings of their rooms. These online travel portals block hotel rooms in advance leaving minimum share for the local travel agents. This…

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Luxury bus services started between Srinagar- Delhi

The initiative will be based on PPP mode due to high cost: Transport Minister Transport Minister Sunil Kumar Sharma flagged off a luxury bus which will ply from Srinagar to Delhi. The bus has been manufactured by Scania. The particular bus called Scania Metrolink is a multipurpose, medium and long distance coach. Sharma, after flagging off the bus informed that as of now the venture will work on PPP mode as JKSRTC is not in a condition to afford it on its own. “This initiative will be under PPP mode.…

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Early Morning, Evening flights take off at Srinagar airport

The much awaited early morning and evening flights started at Srinagar International Airport from today. Indigo and GoAir airlines are operating these additional flights to and fro Srinagar airport. The introduction of morning and evening flights will increase operating hours at the airport and reduce peak time pressure. The airport employees would also get a chance to reduce their burden as the authority has scheduled shifts in their duties. Director Airport R N Shinde told Kashmir POST that the morning and evening flights have begun successfully. “We started with two…

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NHPC investment crosses Rs 18,800 crore in JK

Corporation pays Rs 6,479 cr as water usage charges, royalty to state National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), one of the largest players in hydropower in the Central sector, has invested Rs 18,874 crore in seven operating power stations in Jammu and Kashmir with an aggregate installed capacity of 2009 MW and a 330 MW project under construction. Over the years, the NHPC has not only developed the hydropower potential in J&K but has also provided free 12 per cent power of its total generation from J&K as well as the…

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Thai delegation, PHD chamber agree to strengthen business ties

The Thailand Board of Investment (TBI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce, Kashmir Chapter held a meeting here today to explore business opportunities. Talking to reporters after the meeting, TBI deputy secretary general Chokedee Kaewsang, who led the 24 member Thai delegation, said they would explore business opportunities in the Valley especially related to tourism. Chairman, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Kashmir chapter, Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was keen to develop the industrial infrastructure in the state and today’s meeting would lay the foundation towards the direction. Speaking…

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Bollywood flick Sargoshiyan about Kashmir in last leg of production

Anupam Kher speaks in isolation, can’t generalize his views, say veteran actor Alok Nath The upcoming Bollywood movie Sargoshiyan which is being shot extensively in Kashmir, has reached the last leg of its production. The film’s lead actor and producer Imran Khan, along with veteran actor Alok Nath during a promotional event at the SKICC Wednesday said that their stay in the valley has changed their perception about the place. The movie’s female lead, Sara Khan was also present during the press conference. Nath, who has come back to the…

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PDC dream home ‘shattered’ in Kashmir

The work on multi-crore corporate office for J&K Power Development Corporation (PDC), one of the few profit earning undertakings in the state, here, has been shelved with officials stating that a bureaucratic lobby was “sabotaging” the project. A senior official said Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporations (JKPCC), which was handed over the execution of the project, was allocated around Rs five crore by the previous Government for setting up the PDC headquarters at Raj Bagh, here. The land for the Corporation office was acquired for around Rs 6 crore…

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Cash-starved SRTC to spend `10 cr on GPS project

At a time when J&K State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) is unable to ply its existing fleet of buses and incapable of paying full salaries to its employees, the loss making public sector undertaking is planning to spend Rs10 crore on a Global Positioning System (GPS) mapping project. The GPS project aimed to ‘identify’ bus routes and the introduction of e-ticketing in SRTC buses comes at a time when the corporation is facing Rs 20 crore deficit, sources said. In addition, the corporation at present is paying 34 percent less…

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