Jammu, Mar 1: The Jammu and Kashmir administration is working for speedy completion of transit accommodations for migrant employees in the valley, an official of the Relief and Rehabilitation Department said on Tuesday.
Around 920 kanal (115 acres) of land has been identified and transferred to the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR) at 19 locations for construction of transit accommodations in Kashmir.
The prime minister’s package for Kashmiri migrants announced in 2008 has two major components. One is provision of 6,000 jobs for youths and the other is provision of 6000 accommodation units for employees. Over 4,000 migrant employees have already been selected and appointed in different departments and over 1,000 odd units have been completed.
“The administration of Jammu and Kashmir is expeditiously working towards speedy completion of transit accommodations so that they are made available to migrant employees,” the official said.
He said that on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the construction of transit accommodations has been taken up in a mission mode.
The official said private land was to be acquired for the accommodations in the initial phase but due to cost escalation and time constraints, a decision was taken in 2019 to acquire state land to speed up the construction work.
During the winter season, he said the construction work in Kashmir division remains suspended between November and the end of February, shortening the working season.
The work’s progress has also suffered due to COVID-19 but during the third wave of the pandemic, the work continued at a good pace, the official said.
Administrative approval has been accorded to all construction works to be carried out at the 19 locations, paving way for the completion of the transit accommodations, the official added.
Presently, construction is in full swing at seven locations comprising 1,792 units, he said.
The official said work has been allotted in the case of 384 units, while work allotment is in final stages in case of 2,360 units. The tendering process has also been initiated for another 1,392 units.
About 76 per cent of the construction at Wandhama in Ganderbal district and 90 per cent of the work at Sheikhpora in Budgam district have been completed, the official said.