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Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to finalise the detailed project report (DPR) for establishing industrial estate on remaining 201 kanals of HMT land, which was last year retrieved
from the union ministry of heavy industries. Out of 527 kanal estate of erstwhile HMT factory, state government has allotted 246 kanals to J&K police for building a housing colony and 80
kanals to paramilitary SSB. The factory was closed in 90s after the onset of militancy. “We are working on finalising the detailed project report for establishing a state of art industrial
estate on erstwhile HMT factory premise. It won’t take much time as major portion of work has already been completed. Following which the work on establishment of estate would be
undertaken,” Commissioner Secretary of industries and commerce department, Shailendra Kumar told Greater Kashmir. He said the aspiring entrepreneurs would be provided space there as other
estates in Srinagar district are already running short of space. When asked why the government allocated industrial land to police and paramilitary for non-industrial purposes, Kumar said,
“It is the decision of the state cabinet. Industries and commerce department has nothing to do with it. Besides J&K police is also part of the society.” However, state government is yet
to evacuate CRPF from the HMT estates, which is occupying a major portion of the premises ‘illegally’ since 2010. As per a recent government order vide DHC-Dev/HMT/Acq-44/298890, J&K’s
Industries and Commerce Department has allocated 246 kanal of land to Police Department for construction of a housing colony in lieu of due payment. Earlier in 2010, on the directions of
then chief minister Omar Abdullah, the industries and commerce department had constituted a high-level committee comprising managing director SICOP, MD SIDCO and director industries Kashmir
“to look into the land issue.” The committee had recommended use of the factory land for industrial purposes, stating it would generate job opportunities for more than 1000 unemployed youth.
It states that land under occupation of HMT is part of existing industrial estate Zainakote spread over 925 kanals. “To this extent, therefore, the land use of total area is defined for
industrial purposes,” the report had said. But the recommendations of the committee were never implemented. The Government of India had taken on lease the land at Zainakote for establishing
Hindustan Machine Tools factory. However, post 90s the dwindling fortunes of the factory had made it a loss making venture and subsequently the central government closed down the unit.