Maharashtra To Buy Land in Jammu and Kashmir for Tourist Facility

Maharashtra is gearing up to be the pioneer state to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir to erect a facility catering to tourists and officials visiting the Union Territory.

The proposed Maharashtra Bhawan, marking the first state Bhawan in the Valley, is slated to be established in central Kashmir’s Budgam, situated on the outskirts of Srinagar city. The Maharashtra cabinet gave the green light for land acquisition on Wednesday.

The Bhawan will occupy a 2.5-acre plot at Ichgam, in close proximity to Srinagar airport. The Jammu and Kashmir government has granted approval for the land transfer to Maharashtra, subject to a payment of Rs 8.16 crore.

According to a note from the Revenue department, the transfer involves 20 kanals of Shamlat Deh land in Ichgam Budgam, with each kanal priced at Rs 40.8 lakh. The initiative to procure land and build a tourist facility gained momentum after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, where he met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha in June last year. The envisioned facility aims to provide comfortable accommodations and amenities for tourists and officials from Maharashtra.

During his budget speech, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also handles the finance portfolio, highlighted the government’s plan to establish two Maharashtra Bhawans in Srinagar and Ayodhya. He emphasized providing superior and secure facilities to the state’s tourists and devotees at reasonable rates. Pawar disclosed an allocation of Rs 77 crore for the construction of these state guesthouse facilities.

Prior to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, only permanent residents could acquire land in the former state. However, the government could lease land for extended periods, up to 99 years, to industries and non-residents.