Twitter
Advertisement

Sikh community in Kashmir agrees to demolition of Gurudwara to make way for Sringar-Baramulla National Highway

The gesture from the Sikh community is being widely-praised for agreeing to relocate the building, who served people from all faiths and organised langars (community kitchen) along with other social services.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

A long-pending issue stalling the expansion of the Parimpora-Narbal stretch of Srinagar-Baramulla national highway has finally been resolved after authorities in Srinagar reached an agreement with the management of the Gurdwara Damdama Saheb to make way for the construction.

The gesture from the Sikh community is being widely-praised for agreeing to relocate the building, who served people from all faiths and organised langars (community kitchen) along with other social services.

The development came following a series of meetings during the last week between the concerned parties and examining a host of options to resolve the issue. Both parties successfully arrived at a solution that includes alternate land and reconstruction of Gurudwara at a nearby land finalised by the deputy commissioner in consultation with the community.


On Thursday, the Gurudwara situated in Srinagar started making way for construction of National Highway after successful talks between Gurudwara management and Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary who reached out to the Sikh Community for an amicable solution to the vexed issue. In the presence of Choudhary and the Gurudwara management, the demolition of Gurudwara Damdama Saheb was started.

The long unsettled issue of relocation of the Damdama Sahib Gurdwara at Zainakote has been in court since 2015.

"The Gurudwara will function from a makeshift space till a new Gurudwara is reconstructed at the agreed location. State PWD has been entrusted with construction of Gurudwara as per the design provided by the Sangat," informed the official spokesperson.

Center had started the construction of National Highway from Srinagar to Baramulla in 2006. Later, the project was funded under the Prime Minister Development Plan. Although the road was completed in the year 2013, due to litigation in High Court, four bottlenecks remained on the spot. These included a Gurudwara, a power line, a Petrol pump and water supply lines. A landowner whose land was proposed for relocation of Gurudwara objected to hit and obtained a stay from J&K High Court in 2014.

Ever since then, the landowner, Gurudwara committee, Collector for land acquisition and the Government have been contesting as parties to the case. At least 27 meetings were held between 2013 to 2019 but the issue remained unresolved.

With the resolution of these issues which were hampering the expansion of the highway along this stretch for the last several years, the Border Roads Organisation can now resume the work.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement