Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated on Sunday that the spiritual and cultural heritage of Kashmir will only achieve completeness with the dignified, secure, and confident return of the migrant Kashmiri Pandit community to the Valley. He emphasized that Kashmir is incomplete without its Pandit population, lamenting the deprivation of a precious part of its soul. The Lieutenant Governor articulated that the return of Kashmiri Pandit families is a commitment to reinstating the historical heritage and human dignity of the Kashmir Division, asserting that the region’s natural, cultural, and spiritual beauty will attain its full form only when Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters are welcomed back to their homeland with respect, security, and confidence.
These remarks were made during the inauguration of a newly constructed Transit Residential Complex in Zewan, Srinagar, designed for employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Package. Through a virtual mode, Sinha also inaugurated residential complexes at Kakan Maran in Budgam and Kulangam Bagh in Kupwara. Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that the inauguration of these 1,416 flats across the three locations signifies a substantial stride towards enhancing the living conditions for employees under the PM Package and advancing the objective of facilitating the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families to the Valley. Each flat, according to Sinha, embodies the aspirations, resilience, and hopes of families seeking a secure future in Kashmir.
The transit accommodation project encompasses the construction of 6,000 flats spread across 342 blocks at 20 distinct locations within 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley. This ambitious project was notably accelerated in 2020, operating under a mission-mode approach. Of the total 6,000 sanctioned flats, construction has been completed for over 5,200 units, with more than 3,800 already allocated to eligible employees. The Zewan complex, identified as the largest under this project, comprises 936 flats distributed across 39 blocks, all of which have been allocated. The Kulangam Bagh complex in Kupwara includes 288 flats within 18 blocks, while the Kakan Maran complex in Budgam houses 192 flats across 12 blocks.
During the event, Sinha issued directives to the concerned authorities, urging the prompt completion of all pending works without any further delay. Anil Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Works (R&B) Department, provided an assurance that the remaining flats would be completed by December of the current year. The Lieutenant Governor extended his appreciation to the labourers, engineers, and officials of the Public Works Department, along with the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, district administrations, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, security forces, and various agencies responsible for providing essential water and electricity infrastructure. He also acknowledged the dedication and commitment of the employees serving in the Valley under the PM Package Programme.
Emphasizing that the completion of these residential complexes marks the commencement of a new phase of responsibility, Sinha directed the authorities to ensure the provision of uninterrupted electricity and water supply, robust security arrangements, effective waste management systems, and the prompt resolution of any grievances. He reiterated that the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is an indispensable element in the preservation of Kashmir’s rich cultural, spiritual, and civilisational heritage. The Lieutenant Governor further stated that Kashmir’s literary consciousness, spiritual heritage, and cultural splendour cannot be fully appreciated or envisioned without acknowledging the significant contributions of the Kashmiri Pandits.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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