Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 17: After Awantipora and Tral, residents of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have stepped up their demand for the grant of district status, saying the move is essential for balanced regional development and improved administrative efficiency.
The demand was highlighted by the Regional Development Forum Pampore, which said that Pampore’s historical importance, industrial presence and economic potential fully justify its upgradation to a separate district.
Forum members said that Pampore is among the oldest tehsils in the region and has long served as an administrative and economic hub for adjoining areas.
“Pampore is not just another town; it is a historically significant tehsil with decades-old administrative relevance. Despite this, it continues to remain administratively neglected,” members of the forum, said while addressing a press conference in Pampore.
They said that Pampore hosts dozens of industrial units, including stone crushers, cement-related industries and small manufacturing enterprises, which significantly contribute to the local economy and employment generation. “With proper district-level infrastructure and governance, Pampore has the potential to emerge as a major industrial and commercial centre in south Kashmir,” the forum said.
Highlighting Pampore’s global identity, the forum said the town is internationally recognised for its GI-tagged Kashmiri saffron, which has brought worldwide fame to the area. “The saffron belt of Pampore is an economic and cultural asset. Granting district status would help in better planning, protection and promotion of saffron cultivation and allied sectors,” they added.
The forum further proposed that areas from Pulwama, Budgam and Srinagar districts could be carved out and merged to form the proposed Pampore district, stating that such reorganisation would reduce administrative pressure on existing districts and bring governance closer to the people.
“People living in peripheral areas of Pulwama, Budgam and Srinagar face difficulties in accessing district-level offices. A Pampore district would ensure quicker delivery of services, better law and order management and focused development planning,” a local resident said.
They also claimed that the demand is non-political and rooted purely in public interest. “This is about development, accessibility and dignity. Pampore has fulfilled all parameters required for district status, but successive governments have ignored our genuine demand,” they added
The demand for new districts has gained momentum across south Kashmir in recent weeks, with Awantipora and Tral residents also seeking district status, citing administrative overload and developmental imbalances.
“We are hopeful that the administration will take a serious view of our long-pending demand and ensure justice to Pampore,” the forum said.
