Jammu is the winter capital of the State. J&K is the only State in Indian Union which has two capitals, namely the summer and winter capital. It is rather amusing. What is the criterion that goes in making a city as capital? There are many of them; business centrality, administrative centrality, physical centrality, antiquity and history, cultural and artistic significance etc. The concept of twin capitals for J&K State developed only after the Dogra rule stabilized. General belief is that climate and regional specificities contributed to the creation of twin capital cities. Once the tradition was founded, it remained in place.
The point we want to make is that since Jammu and Srinagar continue to be accepted as cities, it follows that both have to be developed within the parameters of a capital city. It is unrealistic either to discriminate in their growth as capital cities or disallow them the legitimate facilities entitling them to the status of a capital city. As winter capital, from October to ending April Jammu is usually abuzz with numerous small and big, formal and informal functions like seminars, symposia, exhibitions, conferences, high level official meetings, conventions, sports and cultural events etc. This is the lifeline of a city’s intellectual, cultural and spiritual existence. It was in this background that policy planners floated the idea of having two International Convention Centers, one each in two capital cities. In pursuance of this decision, work on the construction of Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) was begun in 1977 during the second tenure of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. Its completion was brought around within the scheduled time and ever since has been functioning normally.
But the case of similar Convention Centre for the winter capital is a sordid story of discrimination, apathy and selfishness on the part of State governments. In the first place while the construction of SKICC was begun in 1977, work on Jammu International Convention Centre (JICC) was begun 21 years later in 1998 only when the then Chief Minister came under pressure. By now 17 years have passed, and the JICC is yet far away from completion. This stands in direct contrast to SKICC which was completed in less than two years after its foundation stone was laid. Obviously, when the work on JICC has been dragged on to 17 years, the cost estimate of 24.61 crore rupees for this project could not keep pace with rising prices. Procrastination of JICC was deliberate on the part of authorities because either the funds were not released or were diverted to other heads. In this way the project was left starving. The latest dead-line given for its completion was ending December 2014. Even that has not been kept.
This is a glaring example of the Government adopting double standards in building both capital cities along equitable dispensation. Frankly speaking, this does not speak of equitable treatment. SKICC was completed within two years because the stalwart leader of the State wanted time schedule to be adhered to. Had the successive Government’s adopted same policy towards the winter capital, Jammu would have got it two decades back particularly when construction facilities were far more easily available in Jammu than in Kashmir and weather conditions too were favourable. We can bring the blame of inordinate delay to the doorsteps of Jammu leadership as well. It is they who should have taken a stand and persuaded the Government not to starve the project. If there was any dispute, that should have been resolved within shortest possible time. But at the end of the day, three decades long delay has left the winter capital poorer in her cultural and intellectual assets. Whether it is bureaucratic bungling or administrative lethargy and apathy or political aggrandizement, the case is eloquently reflecting the half-hearted treatment meted out to the winter capital.
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