Jammu, Sept. 15 -- A helipad and waiting lounge will be built at Qasab village in Mendhar sector of Poonch district, with Jal Shakti Minister Javed Ahmed Rana laying the foundation stone for the project on Tuesday, an official spokesperson said.

Approved by the Omar Abdullah-led government and taken up under the UT CAPEX, the project entails an estimated cost of over Rs 3.35 crore and is aimed at strengthening connectivity and emergency response infrastructure in the remote border area, he said.

Rana, who also holds the portfolios of Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs, described the project as a long-pending demand of the people of Mendhar and said it reflected the government's commitment to accelerating development in ...