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Demolition of heritage building in Srinagar stopped after ET report
4/12/2016 11:59:05 PM
Early Times Report

Srinagar, Apr 12: The authorities have finally halted the demolition of a heritage building at Solina near Silk factory as the matter has been taken very seriously by the higher-ups. The construction of additional building adjacent to the heritage site has also been stopped sources in Power Development Department (PDD) said. Pertinent to mention that Early Times had carried a detailed report on this issue on Tuesday.
The 100 year old building was constructed by Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. The authorities of PDD were planning to construct a workshop near the heritage site by undertaking demolition of a building which used to be part of the Silk Factory popularly known as "Resham Khana " . The said building was constructed around 1915 used to serve as power receiving station for Mohra Hydro Electric Power Project which used to generate 2 megawatts of power pre 1947. THe power used to be supplied to important installations in Srinagar city that included Maharaja Hari Singh's palace at Gupkar road as well. Silk Factory at Solina also called Resham khana was the first mechanized industry in J&K which was established during the time of Maharaja Gulab Singh and the power supply to this industry was also supplied from the same receiving station.
The building is presently under the control of Power Development Department (PDD). Sources ssaidthat several columns of the building have already been dismantled on the direction of local Engineers of Power Department without seeking any administrative approval.
There has been a serious public outcry over this issue as the pictures of demolished building became viral on the social networking site facebook. Not only citizens condemned this action , but several top level KAS and IAS officers also wrote comments on facebook condemning the defacement of this heritage site.
"On Monday evening the work was still going on at the site , but late in the evening the matter was brought into the notice of Chief Engineer PDD Kashmir Bashir Ahmad Khan who personally ordered for stopping the further work "said an employee of PDD Aijaz Ahmad
As per reports huge advance money has been drawn in during the month of March to undertake demolition and further construction of a workshop. The work is being done illegally without seeking any permission from any authority and not even JK Industries (JKI) which owns this property and land. JKI is also a mute or silent spectator to this vandalization.
Srinagar based RTI Activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat had taken up this matter with Government and the matter has already been brought into the notice of Chief Minister , Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to CM . " I have send a written complaint to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti , Chief Secretary B R Sharma and CM's Principal Secretary B B Vyas yesterday and I am sure this vandalization would be stopped soon and officials involved in this criminal act would be punished " Dr Muzaffar said while talking to Early Times
In a similar case some years back , the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) had dismantled over a century old heritage building at Ganpatyar Srinagar which was likely to be converted into a museum due to its magnificent architecture. The structure was demolished on the permission of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). The three-storey building, considered biggest colonial architecture structure in Srinagar city after the Old Secretariat, was demolished in the winter of 2008 on the permission of the SMC.
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