ONGC Enhances Public Infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir, Benefiting Amarnath Pilgrims and Local Communities
New Delhi : Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), India’s leading energy company, has taken a significant initiative to strengthen public infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. ONGC is developing disaster management and pilgrim accommodation complexes at four key locations—Baltal, Nunwan, Bijbehara, and Sidhra—which will be managed by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board under the Jammu & Kashmir Government.
These facilities aim to provide safe shelter, sanitation, and emergency support to the lakhs of devotees who undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra. Each year, over 500,000 pilgrims visit the sacred shrine. The permanent infrastructure being developed by ONGC will also serve local communities year-round.
The Baltal complex, spread over 6,315 square meters, is now fully operational. It includes pilgrim accommodations, a VIP guest house, security infrastructure, and disaster response facilities. The formal inauguration of the Baltal facility will take place on July 4, 2025, by Union Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha. ONGC Chairman and CEO Mr. Arun Kumar Singh will also be present on the occasion.
At the other sites:
Nunwan (8,500 sq. meters) and
Bijbehara (7,640 sq. meters)
construction is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed by September 2025.
Meanwhile, the Sidhra complex in Jammu, designed to function as a key center for emergency management, boarding, and logistical coordination, is slated for completion by September 2026.
In 2024, ONGC, in collaboration with the Jammu & Kashmir Government, also constructed 100-bed permanent hospitals in Baltal (Ganderbal) and Chandanwari (Anantnag). These modern healthcare facilities, equipped with ICUs and residential quarters for staff, have replaced temporary medical camps and now function as primary healthcare centers year-round, serving both pilgrims and local residents.
ONGC’s initiative not only aims to make the Amarnath Yatra safer and more organized but also strengthens regional development and disaster preparedness in the union territory.