Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta flagged off a 300 kms long Kashmir Cyclothon from Royal Springs Golf Course
The marathon would pass through five districts of Kashmir Valley and around 60 nationally acclaimed cyclists are attending the marathon including few from neighboring country Nepal.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home, R K Goyal; Secretary, Tourism & Youth Services & Sports, Sarmad Hafeez; Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Fazlul Haseeb; Secretary, RSGC, Mufti Fareed and other officers were present on the occasion.
On the occasion, the Chief Secretary urged the participating cyclists be ambassadors of peace and create awareness among public about the hazards of drug abuse. He told them that participating in any game is more significant than winning or losing the game. He advised every participant to be a champion by taking part in sports in its true spirit of the game.
Dr Mehta said that the UT administration is targeting participation of about 35 lakh youth in different sports to be played this year across Jammu & Kashmir. He said that sports events would be organised right from panchayat and block levels and it is expected that each person of J&K would take part in such games.
The Chief Secretary maintained that sports engages youth in a positive way and aid them in exhibiting their physical and mental potential fully. He mentioned that it refreshes mind and soul of the person playing it.He made out that this cyclothon will provide these cyclists an opportunity to explore the beautiful places of valley and they would come across breathtaking locales during this 300 kms long expedition.
It was given out that the event would culminate at the end of 3rd day and many more participants are going to be part of this event in the coming days. The participants are going to have night halt at Aharbalfor the first night and Kokernag for the second night.
On the way they are going to traverse through historic and tourist places like Pampore, Pulwama, Shopian, Dobjan, Kulgam, Vasaknag, Qazigund, Verinag, Daksum, Achabal, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Awantipora and reach back to Srinagar in the afternoon (3:30 pm) of 3rd day.
The participants are going to be facilitated by the Tourism and YS&S Departments throughout this event. All the boarding, lodging, refreshment and food is being provided by the sponsoring departments for the successful conclusion of this mega event.
