Projects to showcase J&K’s heritage, local products,Expand market access for artisans & entrepreneurs
Srinagar |Oct, 21:Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Wednesday reviewed the status of the proposed PM Unity (Ekta) Malls at Jammu and Srinagar in a meeting convened to assess the progress of the projects being undertaken by the Department of Industries & Commerce through Public Works Department here.
The meeting besides the ACS, PWD and Commissioner Secretary, I&C; Secretary, Planning was attended by the HoDs of the Industries & Commerce Department and senior officers of the other concerned departments.
The Chief Secretary observed that the PM Ekta Malls would serve as integrated platforms for showcasing the rich handicrafts, handlooms, indigenous products and cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir alongside those of other States and Union Territories.
He underscored the significance of the initiative in strengthening market linkages for local artisans, craftspeople, entrepreneurs and producers, while creating new avenues for tourism promotion, enterprise development and sustainable livelihoods.
He further emphasised that these commercial hubs would provide greater visibility and market access to products under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative and those bearing Geographical Indication (GI) tags, connecting local producers with wider domestic and international markets and opening up new opportunities for growth and economic empowerment
While giving out the details the Commissioner Secretary, I&C, Vikramjit Singh highlighted that the Ekta Mall at Jammu is proposed to be constructed over 24 kanals at the Rail Head Complex. Designed with two basement levels, a ground floor and three upper floors, the facility will have approximately 2.14 lakh square feet of floor space.
Adding he gave out that the project has received administrative approval of ₹125 crore and its proposed facilities include retail outlets, workspaces, public cultural facilities, a craft museum/art gallery, exhibition and trade facilitation spaces, a food court and family amenities.
Similarly, the meeting was apprised that the Srinagar Ekta Mall is proposed at Kashmir Haat Complex on Jehangir Chowk–Batmaloo Road, over an area of 15 kanals. The six-level facility, comprising one basement, a ground floor and four upper floors, will have a total floor area of approximately 1.81 lakh square feet.
Its planned facilities include retail shops, a craft museum, an exhibition hall, trade facilitation spaces, an auditorium, an indoor amphitheatre, a food court, dining facilities and guest accommodation approved at a cost of ₹130 crore.
It was also divulged that the contract committee had considered both projects on October 19, 2026, and that the Letters of Award were expected by the third week of November 2026.
The projects are proposed to be operated and maintained through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with a private partner to be selected through competitive bidding. The Government will retain policy and strategic oversight of the initiative.
Once developed, the two Ekta Malls are envisaged to provide a common platform for commerce, culture and tourism, while creating opportunities for local producers to enhance the visibility and market reach of their products and strengthening J&K’s integration with the country’s wider retail and cultural ecosystem.
