Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference State Women’s Wing and MLA Habba Kadal Sahmeema Firdous today urged the security forces to fulfil their commitment by vacating the Astabal ground in Chattabal area, to transform it into a playground and community centre.
In her interaction with the press, she addressed the ongoing issue surrounding the Astabal Ground in the Chattabal area of Srinagar. She said that in January 2025, she had announced plans to transform the ground into a new sports facility and marriage hall. The project had been approved with a budget of ₹5 crore, of which ₹1 crore was allocated from her Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
However, Firdous revealed that the security forces raised objections to the initiative. To resolve the matter, she organized a high-level meeting that included officials from Delhi. “I presented the necessary documentation proving that the land is state-owned,” she clarified. “The authorities assured me that the ground would be vacated. Yet, the very next day, they returned and fenced the entire area with barbed wire.”
She further emphasized that while the Union Home Minister is ultimately responsible for law and order, she remains steadfast in her efforts to resolve the issue. “Developing this land into a recreational and community space has been a longstanding demand of the local residents. It would provide much-needed relief to the surrounding population.”
When asked about Mehbooba Mufti’s recent call for the security forces to vacate the ground, Shameema welcomed her remarks but quickly questioned why Mufti did not take action during her tenure as Chief Minister, when she was in power alongside the BJP. “The people see through her duplicity and will not be misled by her opportunistic rhetoric,” she said.
