According to a report by The Indian Express, Maharashtra is set to become the first Indian state to purchase land in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the construction of a tourist facility. The proposed Maharashtra Bhawan will be built in central Kashmir's Budgam, marking the first-ever state Bhawan in the valley.
Details of the proposed Maharashtra Bhawan
The Maharashtra Bhawan will occupy 2.5 acres of land in Ichgam, near Srinagar airport, as per The Indian Express report. The Jammu and Kashmir government have approved the land transfer to Maharashtra for ₹8.16 crore. The decision to acquire land was initiated after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the union territory last June and met Governor Manoj Sinha.
Before the abrogation of Article 370, only permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir could purchase land in the region. However, the government had the authority to lease land for up to 99 years to industries and individuals from outside.
Ajit Pawar announced construction of 2 Maharashtra Bhawans in Srinagar and Ayodhya
In a recent budget speech, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced the construction of two Maharashtra Bhawans in Srinagar and Ayodhya to enhance facilities for tourists and devotees. The state government has allocated ₹77 crore for the construction of these two Bhawans.
Meanwhile, several areas of Kashmir experienced fresh snowfall on Thursday, while the plains were drenched by rains. Tourist resorts like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg received fresh snowfall overnight, along with Gurez and other higher reaches of Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Anantnag district. Light snowfall was also reported in upper areas of Srinagar along the Zabarwan Range, while intermittent rains lashed Srinagar city and other plain areas of the valley throughout the night.
The weather department predicts that Jammu and Kashmir may witness additional spells of rain or snow from March 22-24.
