J&K CM lays foundation stone of park on land given by Army

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today laid the foundation stone of a 'citizens' park', to be built on 17 acres of land handed over to the state government by the Army from its Tattoo ground camp, in the heart of the city here.
The park will provide an avenue of outing for the residents of the city living in its vicinity as other popular destinations like Mughal Gardens are located far off, Sayeed said while addressing a gathering at the foundation stone laying ceremony.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and senior Army officials were also present at the programme.

Addressing the gathering the Chief Minister also called for long-term plans to ease the problems of housings, roads and amenities like parking facilities in the city.
"We have to long-term planning like creating satellite townships for those who cannot afford a house of their own," he said.
Tattoo ground is a vast army camp in Batamaloo area of Srinagar which was to be shifted to Shariefabad on the outskirts of the city.

Although the Army had taken land at Shariefabad nearly three decades ago in exchange of the Tattoo ground, it has not yet vacated the camp in the city.

The previous government headed by Omar Abdullah had vigorously pursued the issue of vacating the ground with the Army along with Tosamaidan firing range in Budgam district of central Kashmir.
The Army had vacated Tosamaidan firing range in July last year and handed it over to the state government.