Maharashtra Makes Historic Move: Buys Kashmir Land for Bhawan Construction at Rs 8.16 Crore

Maharashtra is slated to be the first state to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir in order to build a facility for visitors and officials to the Union Territory. The first state Bhawan in the Valley, the Maharashtra Bhawan, will be built in Budgam, central Kashmir, on the outskirts of Srinagar. On Wednesday, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the land purchase. The 2.5-acre plot of land near the Srinagar airport in Ichgam will become the location of the bhawan. Subject to a payment of Rs 8.16 crore, the J&K government has approved the transfer of land to the state government.

“Sanction is accorded to the transfer of Shamlat Deh land measuring 20 kanal situated at estate Ichgam Budgam in favour of Maharashtra state… on payment of transfer value of Rs 8.16 crore, which is Rs 40.8 lakh per kanal, for construction of Maharshtra Bhawan,” a Revenue department note states.

Following his June 2018 visit to Jammu and Kashmir and meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde started the process of purchasing land and building a tourist facility here. The facility’s goal is to provide Maharashtran officials and visitors with cozy lodging and amenities.

The government is building two Maharashtra Bhawans in Srinagar and Ayodhya to “provide better and safer facilities to the tourists and devotees of the State at reasonable rates,” according to Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar, who also oversees finance. According to Pawar, the state government has set aside Rs 77 crore to build these two state guesthouses.

Only permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir were able to purchase land in the former state prior to the special status being revoked in August 2019. However, the government could lease land to businesses and outsiders for longer terms—up to 99 years.