Srinagar, Nov 1 (NVI): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday inaugurated 1,416 transit accommodation flats for employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Package at Zewan in Srinagar, Budgam and Kupwara districts, reaffirming the commitment to the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families to the Valley.
The Lieutenant Governor inaugurated the newly constructed residential complex at Zewan in Srinagar, while the complexes at Kakan Maran in Budgam and Kulangam Bagh in Kupwara were inaugurated through virtual mode.
Addressing the gathering, Sinha said the inauguration of 1,416 flats across the three locations marked a significant step towards improving the living conditions of PM Package employees and advancing the vision of a dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families to their homeland.
He said each flat represented the aspirations, resilience and hopes of a family seeking a secure future in Kashmir.
“Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits and it is deprived of a precious part of its soul,” the Lieutenant Governor said, adding that the Valley’s literary consciousness, spiritual heritage and cultural splendour cannot be imagined without their contribution.
He said the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families was a commitment to restoring the historical heritage and human dignity of Kashmir.
The region’s natural, cultural and spiritual beauty would attain completeness only when Kashmiri Pandit families returned to their homeland with respect, security and confidence, he said.
The transit accommodation project envisages construction 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 has been completed, while over 3,800 have already been allotted to eligible employees.
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 has 192 flats across 12 blocks.
Sinha directed the concerned officials to expedite construction of the remaining 700 flats under the PM Package and ensure that employees residing in government accommodation are provided with the best possible amenities.
Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (R&B) Department, Anil Kumar Singh, assured that the remaining flats would be completed by December this year.
The Lieutenant Governor also stressed the need for uninterrupted electricity and water supply, robust security arrangements, effective waste management and prompt grievance redressal for residents of the newly inaugurated complexes.
He lauded the contribution of labourers, engineers, Public Works Department officials, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, district administrations, Jammu and Kashmir Police, security forces and agencies involved in providing water and electricity infrastructure.
Sinha also commended the dedicated service of employees working in the Valley under the PM Package Programme.
Additional Chief Secretary Anil Kumar Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, M Raju, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, IGP Kashmir Sujit Singh, SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep Chakravarthy, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo and Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Arvind Karwani were among those present at the inauguration.
Senior officials, prominent citizens and PM Package employees also attended the event.—(NVI)
