Harassment

Patients allege denial of accommodation at JK House Delhi, say rooms host VIPs

State in possession of 1 Kanal of land at Raja Ji Marg, 99 Kanals alloted to JK leased back to GoI.

Srinagar: Even as the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has directed providing suitable accommodations to the state subjects, The Jammu and Kashmir House in New Delhi is allegedly becoming a dominion of politicians, with the commoners, particularly patients, being shown the door.

Jammu and Kashmir House in Delhi is being run by the department of Hospitality and Protocol. Situated in Chanakiya Puri, New Delhi, the JK House has three Blocks, A B and C comprising of 57 rooms, four VIP suits and 38 residential quarters.

Many complainants have alleged favoritism and preferential treatment with different kinds of visitors. “If you have a high level approach, a recommendation from a cabinet minister, or Member Parliament then only you can be allotted some space, that too after waiting for long hours in the House,” said one of the doctors who was accompanying her daughter for a specialized treatment in AIMS.

The insiders told KNS that it’s C-Block is meant for deserving people of Jammu and Kashmir who go for treatment to New Delhi. “But the C-Block remains occupied with political workers, relatives of bureaucrats and other employees,” an official said.

One of the officials on condition of anonymity alleged that at C- Block around 6 rooms have been occupied by the employees of Hospitality and Protocol department.

The official said that the government has adopted a VVIP culture at the J&K House. “If a sick person from the state, or someone having cancer has urgent need for room, he is being denied any such facility. Actually the C-Block is meant for such people it is used for VIPs,” the official said.

Various complainants have also said that even if they are allotted any rooms after waiting for days together, there are no facilities available to the guests. “The primary and important requirement of the people arriving in Delhi is accommodation. But I will appeal to the people not to visit Delhi with their patients keeping JK House Delhi in their mind. This can prove a nightmare for them,” Habibullah (name changed), working in the Police department told KNS.

Despite a huge outcry over the scarcity of accommodation for the state subjects in JK House in Delhi, the successive governments have failed to take an initiative for expansion plans utilizing the state land in Delhi.

Even the water purifiers do not work. “If any common person is being given room for a night at Block-B, C, he is not being treated equally. He is being provided no drinking water,” sources said.

The insiders admitted that the VIP culture is visible in the JK house. “It is difficult for needy people to get accommodation here.” said another employee in JK house wishing not to be named.

He said that the staff shortage is affecting the proper functioning of JK house. “Suppose if you are lucky enough to get accommodated, you will have to wait for hours together to have some food. There are no waiters, not enough cooks.” a complainant told KNS, wishing anonymity.

Jammu and Kashmir State has over a hundred Kanals of land at Raja Ji Marg which has been leased out to Military Engineering Wing, the Ministry of Defence-Government of India. Only one acre of land with old structures thereon is in the possession of the State Government.

This premise has 56 quarters in which the staff of the Resident Commission, and other State Government offices, is housed.

It may be recalled that Legislative Council had ordered for constituting a House Committee to review the functioning of Jammu and Kashmir guest houses. The order had come after some members pointed out to accommodation crises for people of Jammu and Kashmir outside the state. Members across the party lines had voiced concern over the system in J&K houses, particularly in JK House Chankaypuri, Delhi.

The residential commissioner could not be contacted, however one of the government officials when asked about favoritism in allotment of accommodation in JK House, said, “No I don’t think so. It is all because of huge rush and the paucity of space in JK House.”

It is to mention here that the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti had laid the foundation of additional accommodation at J&K House, Chanakya Puri. The Chief Minister had directed providing all sorts of help and assistance to the patient-inmates at the Guest House who come here for the treatment of life consuming diseases.

 

(With inputs from KNS)

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