Budgam, June 25: The newly constructed building by the Block Development Department at the shrine of Hazrat Baba Hanief-ud-Din Reshi (RA) in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has been vandalised. Doors and windows essential for accommodating local visitors have been damaged.
Zahid Ahmad, a visitor to the shrine in the Rathsun village of Beerwah Tehsil, expressed his disappointment. “The government had built the facility to house visitors wishing to stay overnight. If the government is promoting this religious spot and providing all the necessary facilities, it is disheartening to see some unknown individuals vandalising the building, rendering it useless,” he said.
Another visitor, Toiba Jan, questioned why the government had not constructed walls around the building to ensure its safety and restrict unauthorised entry without permission from the Panchayat body. “It is the responsibility of both the government and local residents to maintain and protect all development works at the shrine, providing necessary relief through these facilities,” she said.
Toiba said the shrine of Baba Hanief-ud-Din has become a popular tourist attraction for both local visitors and tourists from other parts of the country. “It is crucial to make these facilities available for tourists and visitors who wish to stay at the shrine during night hours,” she added. Toiba urged the government to renovate and utilise the building for more beneficial purposes, offering relief to visitors and tourists.
Block Development Officer (BDO) from Rathsun Block, Majid Manzoor Bhat, said the construction of the building was fully completed and has been handed over to the Panchayat body of Rathsun village. “This building was originally constructed as one of the facilities within the shrine to enhance the welfare of the people who visit this religious spot. Unfortunately, some miscreants have vandalized the doors and windows of this building,” he said.
