The Maharashtra Cabinet has given the green light to a proposal for constructing a Maharashtra Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant development as the first state-run guest house in the Valley post the abrogation of Article 370.
According to officials in the Valley, the Union Territory administration’s Revenue department has earmarked 20 kanals (approximately 2.5 acres) of land in the Ichgam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, near the Srinagar airport, for the construction of the guest house. The Maharashtra Cabinet’s approval came after it sanctioned the purchase of 2.5 acres of land for the guest house during its session on Wednesday. The approval is contingent upon the payment of Rs 8.16 crore. The proposal for the construction of the guest house was included in the Maharashtra budget during the previous assembly session.
An official note from the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue department stated, “Sanction is hereby accorded to the transfer of Shamilat Deh (Mehfooz Kahcharie) land measuring 20 kanals under Survey No 576 min situated at estate Ichgam, Budgam, in favour of Maharashtra state… for construction of Maharashtra Bhawan.”
Last year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had requested Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for a land parcel to construct a Maharashtra Bhawan, aimed at providing accommodations and facilities for tourists and officials visiting the Valley.
The Maharashtra government affirmed that the Public Works department has formulated a proposal to acquire the 2.5 acres of land for Rs 8.16 crore, emphasizing that the guest house would offer affordable accommodation for tourists in the Valley.
While this move marks Maharashtra’s initiative to establish a government-run guest house in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, officials in Mumbai expressed unawareness of the development.
For the ambitious project, the Maharashtra government has allocated Rs 77 crore for the construction of two state guest houses, one in Kashmir and the other in Ayodhya.