Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Jul 31: In a significant development, the army has finally given up the 139.4 acres as Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through UT government. The land will be used for the tourism promotion now as J&K administration is all set to come up with a first ever world class Amusement Park at Tatoo ground to attract tourists and locals round the clock.
Official sources said that MoD signed MoU with MHA through UT government for transfer of defence land measuring 139. 04 acres land at Tatoo ground Srinagar for the promotion of tourism. J&K LG Manoj Sinha presided over the MoU signing ceremony at Rajbhawan Singar.
Official sources said that the MoU was represented through Local Military Authority of Tattoo Ground Garrison and Defence Estate Officer Kashmir Circle Srinagar. “The land will be handed over by the Ministry of Defence within the period of 120 days. The LG hailed army’s cooperation and termed the decision as momentous occasion for developing major tourism space in J&K.
“We will make honest and dedicated efforts to fulfil all the conditions of the MoU and develop tourism and other related activities in such a way that the tourists visiting Kashmir valley find Tattoo ground as one of the most attractive destinations,” he said.
Pertinently, previous governments tried their best to retrieve the land from the army even though army was given alternate land in 2003 at Shariefabad, Budgam. Sources said that LG administration while taking forward the parleys with the army finally succeeded in striking a deal with the army after which a MoU between MoD and MHA was signed.
Sources said that the land at Tatoo ground will now be used to set up a “world class amusement park” where all latest facilities and infrastructure will be available to attract tourists both foreign and domestic besides locals. “In Kashmir, there is no night life activity barring the recently inaugurated few river fronts. The amusement park at Tatoo ground will surely attract a large number of tourists and locals as it will be remain open round the clock,” sources privy to the plan, said.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bhiduri said that the decision to sign MoU was historic. “The land will be used for tourism development in a big way,” he said. “Tatoo ground will be most happening place of Kashmir very soon.”
Those present on the occasion of signing of MoU were GoC 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Principal Secretary to LG, Mandeep Kuamr Bhandari, ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bhiduri, besides senior officers of army and the administration. (KNO)
