A home after 16 years: Diwali comes early for Kashmiri Pandit employees in Valley

For many Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley, this Diwali has arrived a little early. After years of waiting, uncertainty and life in rented homes, the keys to a place of their own have brought something far more precious than four walls and a roof, a sense of security, peace and belonging.

For a community whose relationship with its homeland has been scarred by decades of displacement, the allotment of transit accommodation to hundreds of employees has rekindled hopes of a homecoming, even as the journey towards a dignified and lasting return remains unfinished.

The inauguration of 1,416 transit accommodation flats across Srinagar, Budgam and Kupwara has taken the total number of PM Package employees allotted accommodation to around 3,900 out of the 6,000 working in different districts of the Kashmir Valley.

For many, the moment marks the end of a long and exhausting wait. Employees who joined government service in 2010 have received accommodation after nearly 16 years, while those who joined in 2017-18 have waited seven to eight years.

“First of all, I would like to thank our Honourable Prime Minister, our Lieutenant Governor, our Home Minister and all senior officials who supported this campaign. The mental peace is not visible only on my face. If you turn the camera around, you will see that sense of security, peace and belonging on every face,” said Vishal, a Kashmiri Pandit employee.

He said members of the local community had also welcomed them warmly, expressing hope that the return of Kashmiri Pandits would revive the region’s traditional bonds of brotherhood.

The accommodation initiative comes against the backdrop of years of delay in fulfilling the promise of secure housing for PM Package employees. The government had identified 20 locations across Kashmir for transit accommodation, but construction and allotment moved slowly, leaving many employees dependent on rented accommodation.

Scattered across different localities, employees often faced practical difficulties related to commuting, coordination and security. While many landlords extended cooperation, rented housing did not always provide the stability and collective living environment the employees had sought.

The prolonged wait also unfolded amid a continuing climate of fear. Kashmiri Pandit employees have faced terrorist attacks, threats and the circulation of threatening letters, deepening concerns over their safety and underscoring the demand for secure residential facilities.

Over the years, only a limited number of major transit colonies had been inaugurated, leaving a large section of employees waiting for accommodation.

The latest inauguration has therefore brought relief not just to individual employees but to families who have spent years waiting for a stable home.

“Everyone who is part of the PM Package, including those who were living in rented accommodation, has a wave of happiness in their hearts today. The government has provided us with a home, a place of our own. This has been a very long wait,” said Amit, another Kashmiri Pandit employee.

“What we call the homecoming of Kashmiri Pandits is perhaps, in some way, finally becoming a reality today. We have received the safe and secure accommodation we had been asking for. Families can now live together, mingle with one another and celebrate festivals and occasions in the spirit of brotherhood,” he said.

Under the latest phase, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated 936 flats across 39 blocks at the Transit Residential Complex in Zewan, Srinagar. Another 192 flats across 12 blocks at Kakan Maran in Budgam and 288 flats across 18 blocks at Kulangam Bagh in Kupwara were inaugurated virtually.

Officials said the newly inaugurated accommodation had been allotted to employees and assured uninterrupted electricity and water supply, robust security arrangements and prompt grievance redressal.

The total number of completed flats has now reached 5,200, of which around 3,900 have been allotted. The government is hopeful of providing accommodation to all 6,000 PM Package employees within the next month or two.

Addressing the occasion, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said Kashmir was incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits, describing their absence as the loss of a precious part of the region’s soul.

“The dignified return of Kashmiri Pandit families is a commitment to restoring the historical heritage and human dignity of the Kashmir Division. This region’s natural, cultural and spiritual beauty will attain completeness only when Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters return to their homeland with respect, security and confidence,” he said.

The renewed pace of construction also comes amid fresh security concerns, with threatening letters reportedly circulating in recent months. Officials have accelerated efforts to provide employees with secure residential facilities.

For employees who have spent years navigating the uncertainties of rented accommodation, the change is tangible.

“It will definitely give us mental peace. When you live in rented accommodation, there is always some concern or another. My landlord was very cooperative, and I did not face those difficulties, but many others struggled with issues related to water and electricity,” said Ashish Razdan, a Kashmiri Pandit employee.

“Here, there is a sense of stability and peace. A big burden will now be lifted off our shoulders, and things will be more streamlined,” he added.

Beyond the immediate relief of secure housing, the new accommodation has also raised hopes of rebuilding social connections disrupted by years of displacement and separation. Living together will allow families to share festivals, cultural traditions and everyday experiences that are often lost when people are scattered across rented homes.

The return of Kashmiri Pandits remains closely tied to Kashmir’s cultural and civilisational identity. Their literary traditions, spiritual heritage and contribution to the Valley’s shared culture remain an integral part of its history.