100-bed hostel under construction in JandK's Ganderbal, tribal students to benefit

A girls' hostel, with a capacity of 100 beds, is being constructed in the Ganderbal district's Kangan here which aims to provide relief to students from the tribal communities who travel long distances every day for studies.

Students from far-flung areas, especially from the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities are often unable to afford private accommodation in the district and are expected to greatly benefit from the new hostel being built under the Centre's Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).The project is being carried out by the Roads and Building department of the Jammu and Kashmir administration.

According to Ishfaq Rather, Junior Engineer of the project, the cost of the 597-square meter hostel is about Rs 306 lakhs and comes equipped with spacious dorms, washrooms on floors, a warden's room, and a medical room.

"The hostel is a two-story building and has been approved under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

It is being built at a cost of about 306 lakhs and covers 597 square meters.

Each floor has washroom facilities.

A warden's room and medical facility will also be built," Rather said.

"About 80 per cent of the construction is complete, including the framework and structure of the building.

Just the finishing and cleaning up are left.

We hope to complete it within a couple of months," he added.

Local residents lauded the project, saying that it would provide much-needed accommodation to poor students.

"Students who come from far-flung areas have to travel several kilometers every day to reach their educational institutions.

This is an excellent step by the government as the girls will now be able to focus on their studies," a local resident, told ANI.

Asif Ahmad, a local student, also hailed the move, saying that many young girls from the Gujjar Bakarwal tribes would benefit greatly.

"Students have to travel for hours daily for their studies.

Winter nights are especially difficult for girls as it gets dark early and many have left their studies due to this issue.

This 100-bedded hostel will be able to accommodate students and will greatly help in the upliftment of the Gujjar Bakarwal community," Ahmad said.