The first river rejuvenation project in North India, “Devika,” was completed on Sunday in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. This has created excitement in the city. On February 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in a number of projects in Jammu and Kashmir and lay the groundwork for them. For the local communities, the Devika River, who is revered as the holy Ganga’s sister, is extremely sacred. Acknowledging this, the government introduced the Devika Rejuvenation Project in 2019, taking cues from the “Namami Gange” program’s triumph.
The project has been hailed by Udhampur residents as the Devika River’s “rebirth.” The project promises potential economic benefits through sustainable tourism and local business opportunities, in addition to environmental rejuvenation. After the project was completed, Udhampur resident Raghav Raine noticed notable changes in the Devika River.
“Today, we stand in the city of Devika, and I express heartfelt gratitude for the work carried out by the roads here. I sincerely thank our Prime Minister, Modi Ji, who is scheduled to visit on the 20th, who comes every year. Significant developments have taken place here; what was once just a jungle now has seating arrangements, and a special open theatre has been constructed for events. Previously, it was dark here, but now there is proper lighting, making it accessible for elderly individuals who couldn’t come before due to the darkness. I am very excited about Modi Ji’s visit to Devika this time, wondering what gifts he might bring for us,” Raghav Raine said.
A college student, Rohit Kumar, expressed his gratitude for the roadwork carried out in the city.
“I have witnessed a multitude of significant changes in the Devika River. When I used to come here before, there were no proper pathways, but now there is complete development. The river was highly polluted in the past. I also want to express my gratitude to PM Modi for the development of our religious place, the Devika River,” he said.
Felmo Devi anticipates economic growth resulting from these positive changes.
“When I first visited, it was hard to believe because there was nothing developed around the Devika River. There were no proper pathways. But now, a significant revolution has taken place, and in the times to come, tourists will be attracted here. We will also witness the economic growth in future. There have been substantial changes,” Felmo Devi said.
“In the entire tenure of 10 years, Prime Minister Modi has transformed our Devika River, making it worth witnessing. Nowadays, a considerable number of people visit, and there’s even a statue of Lord Shiva. Beautification efforts have been implemented, and special attention is given to the cleanliness of the Devika River. We have high hopes that when PM Modi inaugurates it, there will be additional arrangements for the development of Udhampur. The waves of development have been visible in Devika since the arrival of PM Modi,” Tariq Shah said.
Udhampur is also a well-known city for the Devika River, which is referred to as the sister of the Ganges.
The district of Udhampur’s official website states that the Nilmat Puran, penned by Nela Muni in the 7th century, mentions that the Devika River is a manifestation of Mother Goddess Parwati herself, providing benefits to the people of Mader Desha, which is the region between the rivers Chenab and Ravi. It is believed that on Shiv Ratri, the Devika River appeared.
