Officials say repeated requests for demarcation and an FIR have failed to resolve the dispute over land adjoining Nigeen Lake
Srinagar: The University of Kashmir has alleged that around 16 kanals of land at its Mirza Bagh residential campus near Nigeen Lake have been encroached upon by local residents and houseboat owners, despite repeated efforts by the institution to reclaim the property.
University officials said the Mirza Bagh campus spans approximately 112 kanals and serves as a residential facility for teaching and non-teaching staff. They claim that nearly 16 kanals of the land are currently under encroachment, affecting university activities, including water sports conducted from the campus.
A senior university official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the alleged encroachment has gradually expanded over the years despite multiple interventions by the university.
“In the recent Muharram holidays, locals allegedly fenced off nearly one kanal of university land and installed a gate, blocking our access,” the official said.
“When the university administration came to know about it, the university Vice Chancellor directed us to immediately demarcate the land. With the help of a JCB, we removed the fencing and reclaimed possession of the land.”
The official further alleged that shortly after the removal of the fencing, a group of around 25 to 30 people confronted university employees and attempted to manhandle them.
“The staff immediately informed the local police, who intervened,” he said.
Another senior faculty member said the university first approached the Revenue Department in 2023 seeking demarcation of the land.
“The Tehsildar North constituted a team to carry out the demarcation, but the process was delayed and never completed. In 2025, the university again reminded the Revenue Department to conduct the exercise, but nothing has happened so far,” the professor said.
According to university officials, some local residents claim ownership of portions of the disputed land.
The university, however, maintains that the land forms part of its property records and is valued at several crores of rupees.
Officials said the institution has also lodged an FIR in connection with the alleged encroachment and continues to pursue the matter with the relevant authorities.
Kashmir University Registrar Professor Dr Naseer Iqbal acknowledged that parts of the Mirza Bagh campus have remained under encroachment for several years.
“The Mirza Bagh campus is a residential campus and an asset of the University of Kashmir. No individual can claim ownership over university land. It belongs to the institution and, ultimately, to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We will not allow any encroachment on it,” Iqbal told Free Press Kashmir.
He said the university would once again take up the matter with the concerned departments to ensure the completion of the demarcation process.
“Once the demarcation is carried out, the position on the ground will become clear and appropriate action will follow,” he said.
Repeated attempts by Free Press Kashmir to seek a response from Tehsildar North Syed Shahid Hussain regarding the pending demarcation exercise were unsuccessful. Calls and messages to the concerned official went unanswered until the filing of this report.
