Mon Feb 10 05:06:51 UTC 2025: ## Kashmiris Fear Land Grab as India’s Infrastructure Boom Threatens Livelihoods

**Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir** – A wave of infrastructure projects in Indian-administered Kashmir is sparking widespread fear among residents who stand to lose their agricultural land, the backbone of their economy. The Indian government’s push for roads, railways, and other projects, announced since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, is raising concerns about land grabs, inadequate compensation, and a potential shift in the region’s demographics.

Orchard owners like Malik Haroon and Ghulam Muhammad Tantray, whose families have cultivated land for generations, face the imminent loss of their livelihoods. Haroon’s land in Pulwama is slated for an engineering college, while Tantray’s orchard in Anantnag is threatened by a planned expansion of the railway network. Both men fear they will receive insufficient compensation for their land, which provides them with substantial annual income.

The planned National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Pulwama alone requires 600 acres of prime agricultural land, affecting ten villages. Similarly, the proposed expansion of the railway network will consume hundreds of acres of orchards and farmland. While the government claims these projects will boost the economy and improve connectivity, locals argue they were not consulted and are receiving inadequate compensation under outdated laws.

Critics further allege that many projects serve dual purposes, strengthening India’s military presence in border regions near China and Pakistan. The construction of a new ring road around Srinagar, widening of the Jammu-Srinagar highway, and the extension of road links to Ladakh are cited as examples. The government’s plan to build 30 residential colonies near the ring road also fuels fears of demographic change, particularly after the relaxation of settlement rules for Indian nationals in 2020.

While government officials have remained largely silent on the matter, a BJP spokesperson claims that all affected landowners will be compensated and that the projects will ultimately benefit the region’s economy. However, activists dispute this, highlighting the use of outdated compensation laws and the lack of genuine consultation with affected communities. Experts like Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center warn that while the projects might boost national security interests, the local resistance could undermine them. Kashmiri residents, meanwhile, express deep apprehension about the long-term consequences of these developments on their land, their livelihoods, and their culture.

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