Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, is developing state-of-the-art Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas complexes at key locations along the Amarnath Yatra route — Baltal, Nunwan, Bijbehara, and Sidhra.
The Baltal complex, spanning 6,315 square meters, is now operational and comprises a Yatri Niwas, VIP Guest House, security blocks, and advanced disaster management facilities. The facility was inaugurated on July 4, 2025, by Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri (virtually) and Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha, in the presence of ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh and Engineers India Limited CMD Vartika Shukla.
Lauding ONGC’s efforts, Manoj Sinha stated that the facilities have significantly enhanced the experience and safety of pilgrims during the Amarnath Yatra. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri emphasized ONGC’s role in building critical infrastructure in challenging terrains and culturally significant regions through its CSR efforts.
ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh said, “ONGC’s commitment to social development runs as deep as its pursuit of national energy security. We are humbled by the opportunity to contribute to this infrastructural development of national significance.”
Each Yatri Niwas is designed to enhance the comfort and safety of over five lakh pilgrims who undertake the Amarnath Yatra annually. These permanent structures will also benefit local communities and will be operated and maintained by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board.
Construction in Jammu & Kashmir comes with its share of challenges — extreme winters restrict work to a short fair-weather window, while security concerns often cause administrative delays and a shortage of non-local labor. Despite this, ONGC successfully completed the Baltal complex, reflecting its project execution strength in difficult conditions.
Work is currently underway at the Nunwan (8,500 sqm) and Bijbehara (7,640 sqm) sites, with targeted completion by September 2025. These facilities will include dormitories, sewage treatment plants, and other vital utilities. The Sidhra complex, planned as a sustainable G+5 structure with solar power integration, is expected to be completed by September 2026.
Together, these four complexes — covering over 30,955 square meters — mark a significant milestone in ONGC’s ongoing mission to build socially impactful infrastructure in sensitive and strategic regions.
