Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Friday said the PDP-BJP alliance is an alliance for peace, development and better tourism in the state.

Laying the foundation stone of the 19-km road widening project from Lakhanpur to Thain, Sayeed said the alliance between the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed for peace, development and better tourism in the state.

He said Lakhanpur town in Kathua district was the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir and it has a huge tourism potential.

"Lakhanpur can be the tourism gateway of Jammu and Kashmir as it has a huge tourism potential which we will develop," Sayeed said while addressing a gathering at the function.

State Health Minister Chowdhary Lal Singh, who belongs to the BJP, said the shortage of electric power was badly affecting every industrial activity in the state.

Sayeed told the minister that while the education department was progressing fast in developing model institutions in the state, the health department was yet to start its programme of building model health centres here.

The road widening project is estimated to cost about Rs 44 crores.

Earlier, Sayeed laid the foundation stone of a multi-layered parking area at the bus stand in Jammu. It is estimated to cost Rs 201 crores.

(IANS)