New Delhi: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has announced significant progress on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to enhance infrastructure and emergency support for the annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu & Kashmir. The company is developing four state-of-the-art Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas complexes at strategic locations: Baltal, Nunwan, Bijbehara, and Sidhra.
These multi-functional facilities, being developed in collaboration with the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board under the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, aim to provide year-round benefits to both pilgrims and the local population. The projects are part of ONGC’s broader commitment to supporting critical infrastructure in remote and high-footfall areas.
The flagship Baltal complex, covering 6,315 square metres, is now fully operational and will be formally inaugurated on July 4, by the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Hardeep Singh Puri, and Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha, in the presence of ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh. The Baltal facility includes a Yatri Niwas, VIP guest house, integrated security installations, and disaster-response infrastructure.
The complexes at Nunwan (8,500 sq. m) and Bijbehara (7,640 sq. m) are under active construction and are expected to be completed by September 2025. A larger facility at Sidhra in Jammu, designed to function as a logistical and emergency coordination hub, is scheduled for completion by September 2026.
Over five lakh devotees undertake the arduous Amarnath Yatra annually. ONGC’s permanent infrastructure is designed to replace makeshift arrangements with robust, all-weather facilities offering lodging, sanitation, and emergency response capabilities. The initiative not only ensures improved safety and convenience for yatris but also provides long-term socio-economic benefits to the region.
In a related healthcare initiative, ONGC commissioned two permanent 100-bed hospitals in 2024 at Baltal (Ganderbal) and Chandanwari (Anantnag) in partnership with the J&K Government. These hospitals, equipped with ICU units and staff accommodations, now serve as Primary Health Centres—providing year-round medical services to both pilgrims and local communities.
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