Under new Land Grant Rules, Govt to free Gulmarg, Pahalgam from illegal occupants

 Mudasir Yaqoob

Srinagar, Dec 27: The recently notified Land Grants Rules 2022 has closed doors for blue-eyed persons to occupy public property illegally.

The J&K Lieutenant Governor’s administration recently notified fresh land rules under J&K Land Grant Rules-2022 and replaced the J&K Land Grants Rules-1960.

Under the fresh rules, leases of current landowners will not extend in case of their lease expiry.

An expert committee will enlist all properties where the lease had ended. It will be e-auctioned afresh, said an official.

Interestingly, the lease agreement between maximum number of Hoteliers and government in the famous ski resort Gulmarg have expired around a decade ago.

The records accessed by ANN News reveal that around 86 hoteliers are operating on government land without any existing lease agreement as the agreement entered has expired around decade ago and in many cases around two decades ago.

Some hoteliers have even encroached the adjacent land of the allotted area.

“Thus, the government exchequer is facing losses given the fact that hundreds of kanals of land enriches these hoteliers and public exchequer gets nothing in return,” said an official.  
Officials in J&K Tourism Department said that technically 90 percent of lease has been expired and within next few months ten percent will also expire.

Earlier, the J&K and Ladakh High Court had also directed the Government to strictly adhere to the procedures of land lease in Ski resort of Gulmarg so that no land is illegally occupied on the premises that have been grabbed for decades.

People in J&K complain that lands were allotted to the rich and powerful without any public auction.

In various cases, the original lessees are not in occupation of land but the current possession in hands of some other persons.

The records reveal that Hotel Mumtaz owned by Mushtaq Chaya is constructed on forest. This land was originally allotted to Bodh Raj.

The land allotted to Bodh Raj was was 4 kanals while the Chaya holds the occupation of 7 kanals and 18 marlas under ‘illegal possession.’

Similar frauds and illegal possessions,as per records, are found at Gulmarg Resort owned by Manzoor Ahmad Burza, Heaven Resort owned by Mushtaq Ahmad Burza.

As per records, The Khyber Resort owned by Pinekel Resorts Ltd is spread over 61 kanals against the original allotment of 51 kanals, 14 marlas in favour of Amar Jeet Singh and Parab Jeet Singh.

“There are a number of such cases and authorities are serious enough to take appropriate measures to evict the illegal occupants,” said an official.

Unlike the previous up to 99 years of the lease, the new rules prescribe lease period not exceeding 40 years.

“The government has asked the outgoing leaseholders to evict properties or else face evictions under the new rules,” said an official.

“The new rules have hundreds of properties open for fresh auction. There must be no further delay to evict illegal occupants and make fresh auctions,” said a group of entrepreneurs.