SAROOR
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government is taking all measures to boost the tourism sector not only to attract tourists from parts of the country but also from abroad and to increase footfall across the Union Territory and to attract more visitors to the ‘City of Temples’, a oceanarium worth Rs 18.73 crores will be constructed at Bagh-e-Bahu area.
As Jammu is being developed under Smart City Project Limited, an oceanarium in Bagh-e-Bahu will further woo tourists to this place.
Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday laid e-foundation of Oceanarium to be constructed by the Road and Building Construction Department and the Fisheries Department jointly and it will be completed in three years.
“The oceanarium will give a feel of seeing the fishes and other species of aquatic life from inside the oceanic tunnel under the floor,” said an official.
He said that the Fisheries Department will be undertaking the task of taking care of fishes in the man-made water body while the infrastructure part will be looked into by the Road and Building Construction Department.
“The structure of the tunnel will be acrylic and the Oceanarium will further add colours to the already existing Aquarium at Bagh-e-Bahu,” said an official.
He further revealed that Rs 18.73 crore has been earmarked for the project and the contract has been awarded for Rs 16 crore, adding, “the oceanarium will be 20 meters long and around three meters wide. The work of the first phase will be completed in one year while in next two years, it will be completed and to be dedicated to the public.”
A Detailed Project Report has been prepared by Maidoverfish India Private Limited, sources added.
The existing Aquarium is also one of the major tourist attractions of Jammu that have 24 aquarium caves, including 13 small freshwater fish caves with an entrance designed in the shape of fish’s mouth while the exit is shaped like a fish tail.
“The country’s largest underground aquarium also houses state-of-the-art equipment, a public gallery, museum, laboratory and a multimedia conference hall. This Aquarium cum Awareness Center was inaugurated on July 14, 2007,” said an official.
Official sources said that the cost of building the Oceanarium includes 1,56,76,930 Interior Decoration: 35,64,100 Chiller Unit: 2,32,38,660 Fire Fighting Equipment: 10,24,010 CCTV: 2,68,046 Acrylic: 8,72,20,000 Plumbing: Includes 4,80,000 Multimedia Hardware and Software: 60,00,000 Fish of different species: 1,38,90,250 and Maintenance: 1,50,00,000.
“The Oceanarium at Bagh-e-Bahu will become a center of tourist attraction in Jammu in a time to come. It will give a feel of like visitors have entered into the middle of the sea and different types of fish and other sea animals will be seen around,” he added.
Apart from this project, several such are into pipeline and few are under construction with a motive to increase the tourist footfall in Jammu, especially locals for those reaching here to visit Katra base camp for pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine.
