The long wait for the ‘Garhwal Rifles Regiment War Memorial Boys and Girls Hostel’ to start operations in Dehradun finally ended on Sunday. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief of Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Sarath Chand graced the inauguration ceremony at Danda Lakhon. The hostel has been created with a budget of Rs 10.28 crore and will prove a boon for wards of martyrs, Veer Naris, serving soldiers and ex-servicemen.

Trivendra Rawat said, “The hostel will provide better education facilities and academic environment for the wards of armymen. Despite limited resources, the Uttarakhand government is committed to the welfare of serving and retired soldiers. If the army approves, we are keen on starting similar project in Haldwani.”

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The hostel has state-of-the-art boarding and lodging facilities for 125 boys and 125 girls starting from 5th standard to 12th standard, along with bus facility for conveyance to schools, round-the-clock security, in-house medical facilities, including doctor on call, recreation facilities, including indoor and outdoor sports, personality development classes, fully stocked library, tuition facilities, audio visual room and computer lab, coaching for professional exams, career counselling session and assistance in admission in reputed schools of Dehradun.

Gen Bipin Rawat said, “We will be providing good facilities to the boys and girls to help them to excel in their career in army and other fields.”

The hostel has been constructed on 4.18 acres land donated by Uttarakhand government, which was sanctioned in 2011.

The Rs 10.28 crore project has been executed through generous contribution of Rs 2.5 crore from Uttarakhand government and remaining from various headquarters of the Army. A number of corporate houses and regimental officers have also contributed generously towards construction, providing amenities and furnishing the facility. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and current  Member of Parliament Major General (Retd) BC Khanduri also graced the inauguration function.