Fulfilling a long-pending demand, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday inaugurated the newly constructed Transit Residential Complex at Zewan, Srinagar, for PM Package Employees.
The Lieutenant Governor also inaugurated residential complexes at Kakan Maran in Budgam and Kulangam Bagh in Kupwara virtually.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor 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. Emphasising that the completion of the flats marks the beginning of a new responsibility, the Lieutenant Governor said that the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is integral to preserving the cultural, spiritual, and civilisational heritage of Kashmir.
The Lieutenant Governor 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 it is deprived of a precious part of its soul. The dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is a commitment to restoring the historical heritage and human dignity of the Kashmir Division. 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 Lieutenant Governor said.
The transit accommodation project consists of 6,000 flats across 342 blocks at 20 locations in 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley. 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 Lieutenant Governor 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 complete all pending work 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.