Srinagar- In a significant development, the army has finally given up the prime land spread over 139.4 acres in Srinagar as Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through the UT government.
The land called Tattoo Ground in Batmaloo quarter of the city will be used for the tourism promotion now and J&K administration is all set to come up with a first ever world class Amusement Park on it, official sources said.
MoD signed MoU with MHA through UT government for transfer of defence land measuring 139. 04 acres land at Tattoo Ground Srinagar for the promotion of tourism, an official spokesman said adding J&K LG Manoj Sinha presided over the MoU signing ceremony at Rajbhawan Sinagar.
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 a 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 hard to retrieve Tattoo Ground from the army. Alternate land was even transferred to the army at Sharifabad, Budgam in 2003.
Sources said that LG administration held sustained parleys with the army and finally succeeded in striking a deal.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bhiduri was quoted as saying 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 the 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. (With inputs from KNO)
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