Not just a shady deal, a ridiculous move too. It should not only generate widespread condemnation from the historians but also provoke resistance from the civil society. It is not just a piece of land at a prime location that the government-in-power intends to lease out to an influential family from outside the state but a heritage and an embodiment of Kashmir’s struggle for democracy.  The proposal to put it on auction for peanuts is worth debunking. It would be dwarfing the heroic struggle of our leaders and undermining the sacrifices of people to call Lal Chowk just a business centre. The government has been so far insensitive towards developing this historical place  that has earned its name for the sacrifices offered by the people of the state for ending feudal and monarchical rule. It needs to be shaped into a monument, but instead government has initiated the move to allot the prize site of the now non-existing Palladium cinema to a business family from outside the state. The land had been leased out by the government to the family for a period of ninety years as in nineties after the family abandoned its business, its lease hold rights expired and the family lost the rights over the land. Since that period the paramilitary forces have created temporary bunkers near the site and the land for all purposes is hold free. It seems that the vested interests despite receiving rebuff in the past on the issue are once again at play. In 2005, the state government had initiated a similar move and had planned to lease out the prized land to the private party. Later government had to shelve it fearing public outcry.  There were reports in media about some ministers in the then government having entered into a deal with the business family that received credence from the official records which reveal that in 2005 the Srinagar Development Authority Board had resolved at the insistence of people at the top to lease out the land to a non-local, well connected family; and an agreement for a joint-venture for development of a commercial complex had to be executed. It was but for the media raising the issue of leasing out of prime properties of the state and locations to non-state subjects that the matter was deferred. The issue of leasing out land to non-state subjects had assumed alarming dimensions. From the statement made by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development it clearly transpires that the present government is all adamant for leasing out the prime-location to the private party for constructing a mall at the site of the cinema not realizing that the decision has the potential of snowballing into a bigger issue with far reaching consequences. It may sound ordinary but keeping in view the historical importance of the place, and the fragility of the situation Chief Minister should not only discourage the construction of multiplex and mall at the site but should impress upon his cabinet colleagues not entering into such shady deals.  Since more than once Chief Minister has publicly asserted that he would not only be personally monitoring the development of the forsaken city of Srinagar but shall be endeavoring to preserve its historical importance, the allotment of prime land to a private party is a litmus test for him. He need be told that much before the Cinema was gutted in a fire the government had realized that over a period of time it had become a
traffic nuisance and shifting it to some other location was being contemplated. The then Chief Minister of the State Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had announced his plans of creating an open green corridor with fountains between the historic Lal Chowk and Budshah Chowk. Instead of creating monsters of concrete and making the historical place look more horrible there is need for pursuing the plan as envisaged by the former Chief Minister and raising a park between the two Chowks.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jan 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jan 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jan 2010 00:00:00 IST