Asif Iqbal Naik
JAMMU: In a significant development in the long-awaited Chenab Bhawan project, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh refused to grant an interim stay on a petition challenging the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) issued for the construction of the multi-purpose facility. The decision effectively allows the tendering and construction process to continue while the matter undergoes full judicial scrutiny.
A writ petition was recently filed questioning the legality, transparency, and procedure adopted in the issuance of the NIT. During the initial hearing, after hearing arguments from the parties concerned, the Court declined to pass any interim order, noting that the matter required detailed examination at a later stage.
The Government of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly the General Administration Department (GAD), was represented by Mr. Sachin Dogra, who opposed the plea seeking a halt to the project. Meanwhile, Advocate N.D. Qazi appeared on behalf of Mr. Khursheed Bhat, the officer associated with the initiation and technical follow-up of the project. His appearance was based on a caveat filed earlier, ensuring that no adverse directions could be passed without hearing him.
The matter has been listed for further arguments, but the Court’s refusal to restrain the government marks an important procedural step forward for the project.
The Chenab Bhawan, also known as Chenab House, is not merely an infrastructure project; it represents a longstanding aspiration of thousands of students, patients, and travelers from the Chenab Valley, comprising Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, and adjoining parts of Reasi district.
The idea traces its roots to 1999, when students studying in Jammu first raised the demand for a dedicated facility on the pattern of Ladakh House, which has long served as a safe and affordable stay option for people from the region of Ladakh studying or seeking treatment in Jammu.
During this period, the issue was personally taken up with the then Food & Transport Minister late Bashir Ahmed Kichloo in the Farooq Abdullah–led NC government. Among the students who pursued the issue was journalist Asif Iqbal Naik, then studying at GGM Science College (1999–2002). He, along with other Chenab Valley students, highlighted the acute shortage of hostel accommodation at Science College and MAM College, compelling many to struggle with high rents and lack of secure lodging.
Moved by these concerns, late Bashir Ahmed Kichloo took up the matter with the government, marking the first official push toward establishment of a Chenab House.
Years later, the proposal regained momentum under former Deputy Commissioner Doda, Mr. Khursheed Ahmed Butt, who followed the project vigorously at the administrative level. After more than two decades of repeated representations and community efforts, the Omar Abdullah government finally accorded formal sanction, placing the project on a concrete developmental track.
The Chenab Bhawan proposal has consistently been envisioned on the pattern of Ladakh House, a well-established facility in Jammu that provides subsidised accommodation for Ladakhi students studying in various Jammu colleges and universities, lodging for patients and attendants arriving for specialised treatment, community support spaces including meeting rooms and offices, and emergency stay options for stranded travellers during winter road closures.
For decades, residents of the Chenab Valley argued that their geographically remote and socio-economically vulnerable region deserved a similar facility—especially since a large number of students and patients from Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban regularly travel to Jammu for education, medical care, and administrative work. The Chenab Bhawan project is thus seen as an overdue step toward parity and inclusion.
With the High Court refusing to halt the tender process, the Chenab Bhawan project appears set to move forward until the final disposal of the case. For thousands across the Chenab Valley, the project symbolizes long-overdue institutional support, and the latest court development ensures that the government’s plan remains on track for now.
The upcoming hearings will determine the future course of the project, but for the moment, the dream of Chenab House is a step closer to becoming a reality after more than two decades of sustained community advocacy.
