By Tehelka Web Desk
The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a Rs 82.45-crore project to carry out repairs and improvements in nearly 5,000 flats across migrant camps in Jammu, officials said.
The repairs will cover the Jagti, Muthi, TRT Nagrota, Buta Nagar and Purkhoo camps, where nearly 7,000 displaced families are currently residing.
Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) Arvind Karwani announced the decision during a review meeting on Saturday. The Public Works Department (PWD) is expected to begin repair work soon, with tenders in the process of being finalised.
Karwani also directed officials to conduct structural audits of the buildings and prioritise works in consultation with camp residents and camp commandants.
The PWD is preparing a separate project for upgrading internal roads, parks, schools, dispensaries and the Sub-District Hospital at Jagti. The government is also working on a Rs 10-crore project through the Jal Shakti Department to improve water supply in Jagti Township. The plan includes regular water-quality testing and tanker supplies.
A Rs 11.5-crore sewage treatment plant has also been finalised for the Nagrota, Muthi-Buta Nagar and Purkhoo camps.
The government said digitisation of migrant ration cards has enabled more than 2,600 families to access various social-sector schemes. Another outreach drive is scheduled from the second week of September to help residents apply for welfare, self-employment and skill-development schemes.
Senior officers have also been directed to visit the camps every week to monitor development works and address residents’ grievances, including issues related to immovable properties in Kashmir.
The repair plans come amid concerns over the deteriorating condition of several buildings in the migrant settlements, particularly at Jagti. The township has 4,242 two-room flats spread across 24 buildings and accommodates around 5,600 families.
The flats, each measuring about 495 square feet, comprise a bedroom, kitchen and lobby. Residents have reported overcrowding as families have expanded, while around 80 flats remain unoccupied. More than half of the township’s 200 commercial shops are also yet to be allotted.
Several buildings have reportedly suffered extensive deterioration, with exterior plaster peeling off and water seepage damaging interior walls. During the monsoon, leaking roofs can lead to water accumulation inside the flats, further worsening the condition of the structures.
The government has said structural audits will be undertaken alongside the repair programme to assess the condition of the buildings and determine the works required.
