Srinagar: Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said Sunday as he inaugurated the newly constructed Transit Residential Complex at Zewan, Srinagar for PM Package Employees.
The LG also inaugurated residential complexes at Kakan Maran in Budgam and Kulangam Bagh in Kupwara through virtual mode, an official press release informed.
It said addressing the gathering, the LG said that the inauguration of 1,416 flats across the three locations marked a significant step towards improving the living conditions of employees appointed under the PM Package and advancing the vision of the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families to the Valley. He noted that each flat represented aspirations, resilience, and hopes of a family seeking a secure future in Kashmir.
The transit accommodation project consists of 6,000 flats across 342 blocks at 20 locations in 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley. The project was accelerated in 2020 in mission mode. Of the 6,000 sanctioned flats, construction of more than 5,200 flats has been completed and over 3,800 flats have already been allotted.
Highlighting the achievements of the three newly inaugurated complexes, the LG stated that the Zewan complex, the largest under the project, comprises 936 flats across 39 blocks, all of which have been allotted.
The Kulangam Bagh complex in Kupwara consists of 288 flats across 18 blocks, while the Kakan Maran complex in Budgam comprises 192 flats across 12 blocks.
He directed the concerned authorities to ensure that all pending works are completed without delay. Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (R&B) Department, Anil Kumar Singh, assured that the remaining flats will be completed by December this year.
The LG applauded the contributions of labourers, engineers, officials of the Public Works Department, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, district administrations, police, security forces and agencies responsible for water and electricity infrastructure. He also commended the dedicated service of employees working in the Valley under the PM Package programme.
Emphasising that the completion of the flats marks the beginning of a new responsibility, the LG called for uninterrupted electricity and water supply, robust security arrangements, effective waste management, and prompt grievance redressal.
He said that the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is integral to preserving the cultural, spiritual, and civilisational heritage of Kashmir. The LG said that Kashmir’s literary consciousness, spiritual heritage, and cultural splendour cannot be imagined without the contribution of Kashmiri Pandits.
“Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits, and without them it is deprived of a precious part of its soul. Dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is a commitment to restoring the historical heritage and human dignity of the Kashmir division,” Sinha said.
“This entire region’s natural, cultural, and spiritual beauty will attain completeness only when Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters return to their homeland with respect, security, and confidence,” the LG said.
Anil Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary; Public Works (R&B) Department; M Raju, Commissioner Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction; Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Sujit Singh, IGP Kashmir; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; Arvind Karwani, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner; senior officials, prominent citizens and PM Package employees attended the inaugural ceremony.
