Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 2 Jul: Energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is developing Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas complexes at four key locations in Jammu & Kashmir, viz. Baltal, Nunwan, Bijbehara, and Sidhra, under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. These assets will be operated by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board under the Government of Jammu & Kashmir.
These facilities will provide safe lodging, sanitation, and emergency support to people undertaking Amarnath Yatra. Over five lakh people undertake this Yatra every year. This permanent infrastructure will also benefit the local population throughout the year.
The Baltal Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Complex, spread across 6,315 square metres, is now fully operational and includes a Yatri Niwas, VIP guest house, security infrastructure, and disaster-response facilities. The Baltal facility will be formally inaugurated on 4 July by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in the presence of ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh.
Construction is progressing at Nunwan (8,500 sq mts) and Bijbehara (7,640 sq mts), with both sites expected to be completed by September 2025. The Sidhra complex in Jammu, designed to serve as a vital hub for boarding, emergency management, and logistical coordination, is targeted for completion by September 2026.
In 2024, ONGC also constructed permanent 100-bed hospitals at Baltal (Ganderbal) and Chandanwari (Anantnag), in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. These facilities, which include ICUs and staff accommodations, replaced the earlier temporary medical camps and now serve as year-round Primary Health Centres for yatris and local residents alike.
