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Kashmir’s Scented Highway: Lavender Plantation Blooms Along Banihal–Qazigund NH Stretch

November 8, 2025 Editor

Lavender plantation has officially begun along a 16-kilometre stretch of the Banihal–Qazigund National Highway, marking a major step toward beautification and aroma tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. By: Javid Amin | November 7, 2025 A Fragrant Beginning in the Himalayas The high-altitude air of Kashmir is about to smell sweeter. Along the 16-kilometre Banihal–Qazigund stretch of National Highway 44, rows of lavender plants have begun transforming the rocky slopes into a purple-hued landscape. This marks the start of a landmark Lavender Plantation Project, an initiative by the National Highways Authority…

Tuesday’s Twin Tests: Budgam & Nagrota Bypolls to Gauge J&K’s Political Pulse

November 7, 2025 Editor

Tuesday’s Twin Tests: Bypolls to Gauge J&K’s Power Pulse By: Javid Amin | 06 November 2025 Budgam and Nagrota brace for symbolic political battles in post-Article 370 Jammu & Kashmir Overview: Twin Bypolls, One Message The political temperature in Jammu and Kashmir is rising sharply as the region braces for two crucial by-elections on November 11, 2025—in Budgam and Nagrota. Far from being mere mid-term contests, these elections are shaping up as referendums on power, identity, and governance in a territory still finding its democratic rhythm after the abrogation of…

Jammu & Kashmir Defamation Suit: JKAS Officer Sues Journalist for ₹7 Crore — Freedom of Press or Professional Protection?

November 7, 2025November 7, 2025 Editor

A Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service officer has filed a ₹7 crore defamation suit against journalist Tousif Kraipak, alleging reputational damage from social media posts. By: Javid Amin | 06 November 2025 A New Landmark in Digital Accountability In perhaps a telling moment for the evolving interplay between governance, journalism and social media in India, a senior officer of the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) has launched a high-stakes legal battle against a journalist. The move lays bare the tensions emerging at the crossroads of public service integrity, free…

Jammu & Kashmir’s 7,768 MW Hydropower Surge: 15 Projects Under Way to Transform the UT into an Energy Hub

November 6, 2025 Editor

Jammu & Kashmir is executing 15 major hydropower projects totaling 7,768 MW, aiming to transform the region into a power-surplus hub. By: Javid Amin | 05 November 2025 The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is on the cusp of a major energy transformation. With an estimated hydropower potential of around 18,000 MW, the region has so far harnessed only approximately 3,540 MW. But now, 15 major hydropower projects aggregating 7,768 MW are at various stages of execution — a move that signals a bold step toward making J&K…

Congress Rules Out Joining J&K Cabinet: Demands Statehood and Population-Based Representation

November 5, 2025 Editor

Congress Rules Out Joining J&K Cabinet Until Statehood Restored Party Demands Proportional Representation and Calls for Inclusive Governance By: Javid Amin | 05 November 2025 Congress Stands Firm: No Cabinet Role Without Statehood In a significant political development amid talks of cabinet expansion in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress Party has categorically ruled out joining the council of ministers, asserting that its participation hinges on the restoration of full statehood. The statement, made by Tariq Hamid Karra, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), underscores the party’s…

Kashmir Marathon 2.0: Revival of Sport, Tourism & Unity in the Valley

November 3, 2025 Editor

Kashmir Marathon 2.0: “We Are Back in a Big Way,” Says Suniel Shetty By: Javid Amin | 02 November 2025 The early morning mist hovered over the hills of Srinagar as the warning horn sounded, the runners took off—and with them came a strong message: the valley is open, vibrant and ready. The recent edition of the Kashmir Marathon 2.0 emerged not just as a sporting event, but as a canvas where fitness, tourism revival and social harmony met in the heart of the Valley. Flag off by Bollywood star…

Choked Streets, Blocked Crossings: How Srinagar’s Traffic Jams Are Crippling Daily Life

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 Editor

Choked Streets, Silent Lights — Why Srinagar’s Traffic Jams Are Getting Worse (Analysis & Solutions) By: Javid Amin | 02 November 2025 Every morning and evening, Srinagar — the summer capital that pours itself along the Jhelum — locks up. Commuters inch along tightly packed lanes, schoolchildren arrive late, shop owners lose customers, ambulances crawl at critical moments, and tempers fray. The causes are many: an explosion in vehicle numbers, narrow historic streets, repeated failures of signal infrastructure, chronic encroachments and intermittent manual traffic controls at major junctions. This article…

Sustained Engagement in J&K: CCG’s Visit to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Path to Reconciliation

November 2, 2025 Editor

Sustained Engagement and Reconciliation in Jammu & Kashmir: The Delegation Visit of the Concerned Citizens’ Group (CCG) to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq By: Javid Amin | 01 November 2025 On November 1, 2025, a significant civil-society engagement took place in Srinagar: a delegation from the Delhi-based Concerned Citizens’ Group (CCG), led by former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, met with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), at his residence in Nigeen. What makes this meeting noteworthy is not only its participants or its backdrop, but the themes…

Statehood Standoff in Jammu & Kashmir: A Fresh Political Flashpoint

November 2, 2025 Editor

Statehood Debate in Jammu & Kashmir: Sinha vs Choudhary and the Governance Divide By: Javid Amin | 01 November 2025 The region of Jammu & Kashmir has once again become a crucible of political discourse, this time centred on the question of statehood and the division of powers between the elected government and the Union Territory administration. This confrontation has been brought to the fore by a pointed intervention from the Lieutenant Governor and an equally pointed response from his elected deputy. In short: Manoj Sinha, serving as Lieutenant Governor…

Autumn Session 2025: Unpacking the Land Grants Rules and the Alleged Regional Bias in Jammu & Kashmir

November 1, 2025 Editor

Jammu & Kashmir autumn session 2025 – Bias in Land Grants Rules 2022 | Detailed Analysis By: Javid Amin | 31 October 2025 The autumn session of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 2025 witnessed a sharp political flash-point over the implementation of the Jammu & Kashmir Land Grants Rules, 2022. Speaking on the floor of the House and subsequently on social media, NC spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq raised strong allegations that the Rules were being applied selectively — harshly in Kashmir, leniently in Jammu — thereby undermining…