Khewra As a Tourist Resort

Khewra salt mine ahas been converted in to a tourist resort. Thousands of tourists visit Khewra Salt Mines every year generating a revenue of more than 4.2 Million. They are amazed by natures sight and its creation inside the mountain. more than 240,000 visitors, comprising college students, general public, and foreigners visit Salt Mines Khewra every year. The Salt Mines Khewra has developed as a big attraction for the tourist. Khewra Salt Mines Tourist Resort has been developed by PMDC with its own resources. Beauitiful stuructures have been made inside the resort,hollow walls of salt bricks when lighted gives a beautiful lookOther attractions such as salt mountain, minar-e-pakistan are present.There are certain chambers filled in with saturated brine solution. These when lighted with fancy lights give splendid look. There is an area of transparent salt of light pink colour known as “Shish Mahal”. Different chambers are connected with salt bridges over water ponds and when illuminated with lights show marvelous reflection of different colours of salt.

• CREATION OF RECEPTION/BRIEFING HALL: A reception has been created as a reception center for tourists.
• WALKWAY: The walkway connect to other lacalities in the mine.
• SOUVENIR SHOP: For the convenience of tourist, a souvenir shop has been established in the reception/briefing hall area where tourists can find model lamps and other articles made of salt.
• ILLUMINATION: Mines asre illuminated by extra lightining that gives out beauty to the salt present.
• ELECTRIC TRAIN: Electric train has been made for people who cant walk long distances and are in need of the following facility.
• REFRESHMENT: Seating arrangements have been made in side the mine. Refreshments have been provided inside the mine, where kiosks have been fitted, having sufficient capacity for tourists to relax and enjoy light refreshments.
• MINE GUIDE: Trained guides are present that guides people and provide vital information about the salt mine.

CHARGES

1. Entry Fee: - Foreigner Adult US$ 10.00 - Foreigner Student US$ 5. - Pakistani Adult Rs. 100.00 - Pakistani Student Rs. 50.00 - Senior Citizens & Children Rs.50.00 2. Trolley Charges - Pakistani Adult Rs. 50.00 - Student Rs. 25.00 - Senior Citizens & Children Rs. 25.00 - No fee will be charged for infants upto the age of two years or less. - A group of 12 person and above Rs. 50.00 per head 3. Parking Fee - Motor Cycle Rs. 10.00 - Car/Jeep/Taxi/Rikshaw Rs.30.00 - Hiace Van 18 seater or below or any other van Rs. 45.00 - Coaster 28 seater / 30 seaters or below Rs. 70.00 - Bus/Truck Rs. 80.00

• MINE VISITING TIMES: Mine is open for tourist from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Every Day including weekends and holidays.

Warnings and Dangers for tourists

Simply I would say is that dangers associated with all mines exists here as well. When I was getting my tickets, the man at the counter asked me for my ID. At first I retorted that do I look like a foreign tourist (wearing my WWF P-Cap, dark glasses, T-Shirt, Jeans, Hiking boots, lugging a backpack, dangling a digital camera, and holding a large mineral water bottle – signs of being alien). But they were checking ID of all entrants.

If you have an extreme fear of closed places and are claustrophobic, it is recommended that you avoid going inside.

People, this is a mine, and the electricity powering the lights inside is being supplied by WAPDA, which is known for frequent power failure. And I did not see any emergency lights anywhere around. I am sure you do not want to be caught inside the mine when this happens. No matter how brave you are, this scenario will scare the hell out of anyone, specially with those 80 feet deep brine solution lakes already portraying an eerie image. Even an atheist will blurt out. Oh! God!

Guides are available at the entrance gate who have flashlights, and do know their way around. Pay extra to take them along. Alternatively, carry a flash light, but will you know which way to go? There are shafts that are taking you deeper inside the mine, and then there are deep brine ponds all around. In total darkness everything looks the same.

Also while entering/exiting the mine, be on a look out for the electric train as the passage is shared..for people walking and for those riding the train.

It is believed that Salt Rock Lamps are natural air ionizers, air purifiers and natural healers. They clean the air through negative ions, I guess something similar to lightning during a thunderstorm. Some also believe that the ions given off by the salt in the mines is a primary cause for curing asthma. How or why has not been scientifically determined. Even PMDC has built an allergy Asthma Resort at this site for this purpose. So asthma sufferers can get first aid if need be.

I'm posting a video just so new aspiring visitors can have a look at the conditions that await them.

Have a safe trip.

Wonders inside the mine

As part of the development of the mine, the authorities have recently refurbished the tourist section to cater to the growing number of visitors. Besides the adventure of visiting a salt mine on a rail system, newer attractions such as replicas of famous monuments have been created which continue to fascinate tourists everyday. First up is the Minar-e-Pakistan, a tall replica of the minaret of Lahore. The salt monument is not an exact copy of the original, but in many ways one can tell the resemblance. The minaret is lit up with lights that bring out the red and pink colours of the salt. Next up is the Assembly Hall, a which is a kind of a lit up hallway depicting the one in the Parliament building. Crossing the hallway, one comes across one of the best areas lit up inside the mine - the Sheesh Mahal. Different coloured lights are used to highlight different areas of the Sheesh Mahal. Families are seen posing for pictures in front of the Mahal as it serves an an exemplary background. Arguably one of the most unusual attractions inside a salt mine, right next to the Sheesh Mahal is a fully functional Post Office! Attached to it is also an internet cafe. The Post Office has two resident postman on duty inside the salt-walled cabin and one can send post to anywhere in the world via here. This also acts as a primary source of contact between tourists visiting the area or residing in nearby hotels while visiting. Truly not to be missed!

Salt Souvenirs of khewra

Salt mine itself is a really important and a historical place.After 2006 when the production of salt from the salt mine halted a new phenomenon was seen.Although salt production had stopped but after some time salt souvenirs started to show up. The place was converted to a tourist resort where people from through out the world could visit and admire the place. To keep a record of what they visited they bought those salt souvenirs from the shop keepers. These shop keepers are those who worked and mined in side the salt mine and now they earn a living by selling the salt souvennirs to tourists from across the world. There are in all 5- 6 shops of salt souvenirs in Khewra. 3 shops are seen in the way when we travel from Pind dadan khan towards the salt mine. While the rest of the 2 are located outside the salt mine.1 close to the parking area and 1 close to the main alley where people tend to rest and spend time with their families. Shop keepers have different types of soveniurs. Some of them are named as:

• Natural Salt Lamps
• Crafted T Salt Lamps
• Hand crafted Salt Lamps
• Hand crafted candle holder
• Natural Salt candle holder
  
• Tea Light Holder/Ligids
• Salt crafted animal shapes
• Salt crafted English names
• Salt Tiles

These are all sold at different Prices according to the effort given to each and every product.

Khewra - a personal experience

Having personally visited Khewra Salt Mines, I know exactly whats in store for tourists visiting the second largest salt mine in the world. We as a family took off from Lahore on a rented PTDC van who were managing the tour. It had been quite a while since we had gone for a trip together. The safest and most convenient route to take was the Motorway, which passes from very near the mine itself. Khewra Mines about 160 kilometers from Islamabad and 260 kilometers from Lahore. As soon as we reached the mine itself, we could instantly see flocks of people going in and coming out of the mine entrance, proving itself to be a hot destination for tourists. Another major attraction there is the rail service, which takes you for an inside-the-mine tour. A large number of small cafes are also found. Inside the mine, there are enormous "salt lakes" which can be termed as a miracle on their own. Large areas of the mine are now only tourist spots, meaning extraction of salt has been stopped from those levels, whereas it is still continuing elsewhere across the salt mine. A beautifully constructed salt mosque inside is one of the biggest attractions the mine has to offer. Families can be seen visiting the mine while children have a ball running around and enjoying themselves. A whole restaurant has been established inside the mine itself to cate to the growing needs of local and international tourists who throng the area regularly. A beautiful place to visit, Khewra salt mine should not be missed!

History Of Khewra Salt Mines

Khewra Salt Mines is located at the distance of 160 km from Islamabad and 260 km from Lahore in Pind Dadan Khan District Jhelum. It has easy approach via Lahore to Islamabad Motorway through Lilla Interchange. Discovery of Rock Salt dates back to days of Alexander the great. A complete history along with date as follows.

326 BC: It was in 326 BC. when khewra salt mine was discovered by licking of out crop salt by the soldiers of Alexander the Great who fought battle with Raja Pourus.

1500 AD: ASP Khan local leader of khewra informed the king akbar the extensive amount of salt deposits in khewra. Initial mining got started.

1809: Sikhs took over the mines from the mughals and made use of the salt present.

1849: British government took over the khewra salt mine from the sikhs and continued its rule over it.

1853: A spring of drinkable water was discovered and conveyed through khewra through a woden tunnel.

1856: Motorable road was built between khewra and P.D Khan

1872: Dr. Warth first cheif mining engineer who surveyed the complete mines. He introduced the advanced scientific mining system. He laid out main tunnel at the ground level.

1886: Railway Bridge ( Victoria) was constructed over the river jhelum between the railway junction Malikwal and khewra.

1889-90: Salt production crossed 50,000 metric tonnes.

1902: Hospital established to provide medical facilities to the miners and workers working in the salt mine.

1914: Production reached to 80,000 metric tonnes.

1918: For the very first time two steam engines were used in the mines to extract rock salt.

1924-25: Power house with two electric diesel generating sets of 500 Hp were installed.

1932: Chain cutter machines were improved further.

1933: Automatic laoding plant was installed in the mine.

1971: Mines were switched over to wapda electricity.

1974: Mines taken over from P.I.D.C

1998:Mining tub system switched over to tractor trolley system.

2002: Khewra Salt mines tourist resort was established.

2006: Extraction of salt halted and this is now being used as a torist visiting place.No more mining is done in khewra.