After eviction notices, Mehbooba vacates Srinagar govt residence
Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday vacated her official residence in Srinagar and shifted to a private accommodation in the outskirts of the city, people familiar with the matter said.
The Fairview residence on Gupkar Road, overlooking Srinagar’s Dal Lake, was allotted to Mehbooba’s father, former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in 2005.
Mehbooba was served two notices, on October 15 and 25, by the administration to vacate the premises.
The People Democratic Party (PDP) chief vacated the house and shifted to a private accomaccommodation
modation in Khimber on Monday, the people cited above said.
“Yes, she (Mehbooba) confirmed moving out from the government house,” additional PDP spokesperson Rafeeq Rather said.
On Saturday, Mehbooba was served a notice to vacate another government accommodation, at Housing Colony in Anantnag’s Khanabal, within 24 hours. This is used by her during her visits to south Kashmir. Mehbooba is yet to comply with this directive.
Last month, deputy director of the estates department said the government is ready to provide “alternative accommodation” on “security grounds” to the PDP leader, if needed, once she vacated the Fairview residence,
PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari, however, alleged Mufti was offered a dilapidated place in Srinagar’s Tulsi Bagh which she found unsuitable. “So she decided to move to a private place,” he said.
The Fairview residence was previously an interrogation centre called PAPA-II and served as an official guest house till 1989. The Border Security Force occupied it in 1990.