CM Omar Abdullah Chairs High-Level Meet to Review Master Plans of Jammu, Srinagar

By: State Correspondents News Bureau Updated: Thursday Region: Jammu & Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired the joint Board of Directors meetings—the 91st for the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and the 85th for the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA)—to deliberate on critical modifications and modernizing updates to the Master Plans for both capital cities.

The high-level session centered on striking an equilibrium between rapid urban expansion, business facilitation, public feedback, and vital ecological safeguards across the Union Territory.

“Urban growth must go hand-in-hand with simplified governance, addressing public concerns, and rigorously upholding environmental and watercourse safeguards.”

During the meeting, SDA Chairman Shabir Hussain Bhat and JDA Chairman Rupesh Kumar delivered detailed presentations outlining strategic priorities, existing bottlenecks, and proposed spatial reorganizations for Srinagar and Jammu respectively.

Key Directives & Strategic Focus Areas

Srinagar Focus: Implementation of structured Town Planning Schemes, simplified building permissions, full alignment with J&K Unified Building Bye-Laws-2021, and stringent safeguards for Dal, Nigeen, and allied water bodies.
Jammu Master Plan-2032: Re-evaluation of 15 planning zones, rationalization of land-use classifications, deployment of geo-referenced mapping, and alignment with major upcoming infrastructure networks.
Environmental Protections: Focused focus on non-negotiable protections for the Tawi riverbed, flood channels, and natural hydrological courses in Jammu.
Ease of Living & Business: De-bottlenecking approval processes, removing zoning overlaps, and cutting bureaucratic delays for regional developments.

Reviewing the inputs, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized that urban documents must not act as rigid hurdles but as active, sustainable blueprints that address public grievances while proactively protecting ecologically sensitive zones from unchecked encroachment.

Attendees: The meeting was attended by Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, ACS to CM Dheeraj Gupta, ACS Finance Shailendra Kumar, ACS PWD Anil Kumar Singh, Commissioner Secretary (Planning) Alice Vaz, Commissioner Secretary (H&UDD) Mandeep Kaur, Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, Commissioner Secretary Law, Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Jammu, and Municipal Commissioners of SMC and JMC. Officers based in Jammu participated via video link.