Lakhanpur to be developed as street food hub in J&K: Dr Jitendra Singh

Jammu, July 17: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said that Lakhanpur has been selected among 50 towns across the country to be developed as a 'street food hub' under the PM SVANidhi initiative, while announcing the construction of a Rs 1.5 crore gateway monument at the entry point to Jammu and Kashmir. The minister, who was accorded a warm welcome by street food vendors and traders during his visit to the Lakhanpur Vendors Market, said the Narendra Modi government has, for the first time, prioritised the welfare of street vendors through a dedicated national scheme. Addressing vendors and traders, Singh said successive governments had ignored the concerns of street vendors, but the PM SVANidhi scheme has brought them into the mainstream by providing financial assistance, dignity and sustainable livelihood opportunities. He said Lakhanpur's selection in the first phase of the Street Food Hub initiative reflects the government's commitment to empowering small vendors while creating organised, hygienic and visitor-friendly vending spaces. According to the minister, the proposed Street Food Hub will be developed in two clusters near the old bus stand and the Sales Tax Office in Lakhanpur market. Spread over 1,754.25 square metres, the project will provide modern vending infrastructure while promoting Dogra cuisine and other regional delicacies. Located at the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir from Pathankot and on the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Lakhanpur witnesses heavy movement of tourists, pilgrims and transit travellers, making it an ideal location for the project, he said. Singh said the government had received 126 proposals from 32 states and Union Territories covering 106 Urban Local Bodies and seven Census Towns, with Lakhanpur being selected in the first phase. The Union minister also announced that a landmark gateway to Jammu and Kashmir, along with beautification works at Lakhanpur, will be developed at an estimated cost of over Rs 1.5 crore. He said part of the funding would come from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) allocation, while the remaining amount would be mobilised from other available resources. During the visit, Singh inaugurated a statue of Maharaja Gulab Singh at Lakhanpur, describing it as a tribute to the Dogra ruler's contribution to nation-building and the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to major infrastructure projects in the region, the minister said the long-delayed Shahpur Kandi project has become operational, while work on the Ujh Multipurpose Project is expected to begin soon after the project reaches the final stage of approvals. He said the Ujh project, pending for decades, would significantly improve irrigation facilities in Kathua, Samba and parts of Jammu district besides ensuring better utilisation of water resources. Singh also said approvals have been obtained for naming Kathua railway station after Shaheed Captain Sunil Sharma and expressed confidence that the formal process would be completed shortly. On the issue of shifting the vehicle fitness testing facility from Kathua to Samba, the minister said the move was necessitated by the establishment of a modern automated testing facility at Samba and added that a similar facility for Kathua was under consideration. Local vendors thanked the Union minister for securing the Street Food Hub project for Lakhanpur, saying it would provide a cleaner, organised and dignified working environment while improving facilities for pilgrims, tourists and other visitors.