Jammu, Mar 28: Around 4,000 runners from India and abroad are set to participate in Jammu’s first-ever international marathon on Sunday, marking a milestone in the region’s sporting calendar, officials said.
The announcement came during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to finalise arrangements for the event, organised by the Tourism Department. Dulloo directed all departments to thoroughly review preparations to ensure a smooth conduct of the marathon.
Taking stock of departmental readiness, the Chief Secretary sought detailed inputs from each Administrative Secretary regarding their respective roles. He also emphasised the need for a permanent Steering Committee, chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, to plan and promote international events annually.
The committee will include the Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports; Divisional Commissioners; IGP Traffic; Directors of Tourism; and Chewang Motup, who played a key role in conceptualising these events.
Dulloo highlighted the importance of announcing event dates well in advance to enable international participants to plan their travel and stressed the need to popularise such events to position Jammu & Kashmir as a premier marathon tourism destination.
He reviewed key aspects including route sanitisation, traffic management, medical preparedness, and volunteer deployment. Routes for different race categories will not overlap and will be safe and fit for all participants.
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Ashish Chandra Verma, said around 4,000 runners are expected, with on-spot registrations also being facilitated. Director Tourism, Jammu, Vikas Gupta, said 3,663 participants, including 91 international runners, have already registered.
The marathon will start at sunrise from the MA Stadium on March 29, 2026, featuring three race categories: Half Marathon (21 km), 10 km Fitness Run, and 5 km Fun Run. A total prize pool of Rs 1.33 crore will be distributed among the winners. (Agency)
