Palladium Cinema site to be developed as heritage museum in Srinagar

The Palladium Cinema site at Lal Chowk of Srinagar will be developed as a heritage museum soon. The cinema was once a popular hangout for movie buffs but fell victim to militancy.

Palladium Cinema, which is located at the historic Lal Chowk, was closed down in 1989 after the eruption of militancy in the state. Later in 1990, the cinema was gutted in a fire and it has also seen two fidayeen attacks. At present, the cinema is occupied by security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir State Budget 2017-18 presented

The decision was taken on 18 April 2017 at a meeting chaired by Divisional Commissioner (Kashmir) Baseer Ahmad Khan. The meeting was held to review the progress of various developmental activities being carried out by the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA).

Other highlights of the meet

• The Divisional commissioner was informed that SDA has acquired 4200 kanals of land at Rakh Gund Aksha.  The land will be converted into Satellite colony.

• It was informed that work on multi-level parking at Press Colony and Sheikhbagh is being carried at a good pace. Both projects are being developed at an expense of Rs 26.91-crore and Rs 22.50-crore respectively.

• Besides, the divisional commissioner also reviewed preparation of Srinagar Master Plan and status of the parking site at Pantha Chowk. He also reviewed the work on food court and Children Park at Sangarmaal Complex and construction of proposed Shehjar Apartments.

J&K bans polyethene manufactured below 50 microns

Lanura becomes first village to go cashless in J&K

Lal Chowk

• It is a city square (literally Red Square) in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.

• It was named so by Left-wing activists inspired by the Russian Revolution as they fought Maharaja Hari Singh.

• It is a traditional place for political meetings as people like Jawaharlal Nehru, the former Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah and various other Kashmiri leaders.

• It is a place where the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the national flag in 1948 and promised a referendum to Kashmiri’s under which they were free to choose their political future. The pledge was supported by Maharaja Hari Singh. However, the pledge was conditional under which Pakistan was supposed to withdraw its troops from the then-Princely state.