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The Art of Building the Wrong Things

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  The Art of Building the Wrong Things “We continue to build what can wait while neglecting what cannot. Somewhere between planning and execution, public priorities lose their way.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed considerable infrastructure development, with roads, bridges, public buildings and other facilities being constructed across the Union Territory. Such investment is essential in a region where difficult terrain, harsh winters and geographical constraints make connectivity and public services particularly important. Yet the value of development cannot be measured by the number of structures built. It must be judged by whether public investments address genuine needs and improve people's lives. Too often, the urgency of a project appears less important than the ability to execute it. The problem is not infrastructure development itself, but the priorities guiding it. A structure may look impressive upon completion, yet its real worth lies in th...
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Public Buildings Deserve a Second Life

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  Public Buildings Deserve a Second Life “ Jammu and Kashmir needs a clear policy for the reuse, conservation and redevelopment of government buildings left vacant after institutional relocation” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi T he construction of a new government building is invariably presented as a symbol of development. A new hospital promises better healthcare, a new school offers improved facilities and a modern office is expected to make administration more efficient. There is certainly no argument against creating safe and modern public infrastructure. But in the enthusiasm surrounding new construction, an important question is often overlooked that what happens to the building the government leaves behind? Across Jammu and Kashmir, there are instances where institutions have shifted to newer premises while their old buildings have been left vacant, damaged, underused or allowed to deteriorate. Some have been declared unsafe, others damaged by fire while se...
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Our Rivers, Our Electricity, Our Bills.

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  Our Rivers, Our Electricity, Our Bills.   “The latest tariff hike brings back the larger debate over affordability, power sector reform and J&K’s share of its hydropower wealth.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi T here is something deeply uncomfortable about another electricity tariff hike in Jammu and Kashmir. This is a place where rivers tumble down from the mountains, ambitious hydropower projects are being built and electricity has long been presented as one of J&K's greatest natural advantages. Yet the story reaching the ordinary consumer remains familiar that the power sector runs a deficit, the government provides support and the consumer is asked to pay more. From 1 st September 2026, electricity tariffs in J&K are set to rise by an average 6.83 percent. For 2026-27, the revenue requirement of JPDCL and KPDCL has been assessed at roughly ₹10,276 crore against revenue of about ₹7,353 crore at existing tariffs, leaving a gap of approximate...
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Sand, Stone and the Sustainability Dilemma

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  Sand, Stone and the Sustainability Dilemma “J&K’s construction material crisis exposes the consequences of past resource mismanagement, the pressures of present-day development and the urgent need for a sustainable path ahead.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi Jammu and Kashmir is beginning to face a construction-material crisis at a time when demand for roads, bridges, housing, hospitals, schools, drainage systems and other infrastructure is rising. Restrictions on quarrying operations and curbs on the extraction, lifting and transportation of mining material have created difficulties for ongoing development works. The Government has valid reasons for tightening control over the extraction of sand, gravel, stone and other minor minerals. The region’s rivers, mountains and fragile ecosystems cannot be treated as unlimited sources of construction material. Yet the emerging shortage exposes a deeper problem: development needs and natural-resource management have not evolved together...
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Whose electricity is it, Anyway?

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  Whose electricity is it, Anyway? “Barely two months after being awarded for construction, the Dulhasti Stage II project's future electricity has already been committed to Uttar Pradesh for the next four decades.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi Jammu and Kashmir has long been regarded as India's hydropower treasure. Endowed with mighty rivers such as the Chenab, Jhelum and Indus and their tributaries, the Union Territory possesses one of the country's richest renewable energy resources. For decades, experts have recognised that these rivers have the potential to generate thousands of megawatts of clean electricity, making Jammu and Kashmir a vital contributor to India's energy transition. Yet this extraordinary natural wealth presents a striking paradox. Whenever river flows diminish and hydropower generation declines, the Union Territory grapples with electricity shortages and remains heavily dependent on power imported from the national grid. This contrast between imme...
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  When Progress Leaves the Past Behind “The opening of the Digdol–Panthyal Twin Tube Tunnel stands as a tribute to the workers who lost their lives during construction and a milestone in NH-44’s journey from a perilous mountain road to a safer lifeline for Kashmir.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi I n the long and layered history of Jammu and Kashmir’s connectivity with the rest of the country, few roads have carried as much weight of geography, emotion and national importance as National Highway 44. Cutting through the towering Himalayas, this lifeline has for decades linked Jammu with Srinagar, carrying passengers, essential goods, security convoys and the hopes of millions. Yet it has also been defined by fragility, unpredictability and repeated tragedy. The opening of the Digdol–Panthyal Twin Tube Tunnel on the Ramban–Banihal stretch marks a historic moment of transition, standing at the intersection of progress, criticism and condolence. The Digdol–Panthyal T...
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The Long Argument Against Geography

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  The Long Argument Against Geography   “The breakthrough of the Zojila Tunnel marks the beginning of a new relationship between the Himalayas and the people who live beyond them.” Peerzada Mohsin Shafi O n 9 th June 2026, when engineers working deep beneath the mountains finally achieve breakthrough at the Zojila Tunnel, they will do much more than connect two excavation faces separated by rock and distance. They will bring to a close one of the longest and most consequential struggles between geography and human aspiration in the Himalayas. The event will not merely mark a milestone in construction. It will signify the beginning of a transformation whose consequences will be felt for generations across Kashmir, Kargil and Ladakh. Long before roads, tunnels and modern engineering entered the vocabulary of development, Zoji La occupied a unique place in the history of the region. For centuries it served as the gateway between the Kashmir Valley a...
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