The way for constructing the National Institute of Technology at Sumari is now clear with the Union Government approving the proposed 125 hectare land at Sumari for this purpose. The Union Government has now asked the State government to transfer the said land to NIT.
After the two-year long movement headed by the Srinagar NIT Sangharsh Samiti in support of the demand to establish NIT in Sumari, the Central Government has given the green signal to the use of the marked land.
A few months after the establishment of NIT in the year 2009, Uttarakhand Government had selected the land for NIT in Sumari and sent a proposal of 125 hectare land to NIT. The Ministry of Environment and Forests had objected the proposal as the land comprised 90 hectare forest land following which the proposal was relegated to the files. Due to the shortage of accommodation in the Polytechnic Institute In Srinagar, where the classes of NIT BTech are being conducted, the Director of NIT, Prof HT Thorat revealed his intention to shift the institution to IDPl in Rishikesh in January 2012 which created resentment among the public in Srinagar, Sumari and many other places which led to the formation of the Joint Sangharsh Samiti in February 2012.
The committee members held demonstrations, rallies, hunger strikes including fast unto death by its president Anil Swami and Vimla Kotiyal after which a delegation of the committee met Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and on assurance given by Principal Secretary, Technical Education, Rakesh Sharma about provision of alternate land for NIT by October, the hunger strike was withdrawn after seven days.
The district administration started the process for finding suitable land for establishing NIT in Sumari and its adjoining area with the cooperation of local residents and succeeded in the efforts. The 125 hectare land marked for the establishment of NIT Sumari includes revenue land and land donated by residents of Sumari, Chadigaon, Nayalgaon, Bagwan, Sayarmalla and other villages. All the lands have been transferred to NIT. It now remains to be seen as to how long it will take for the construction of this much demanded institute to start here.