Land use of 2244 kanals in 9 villages changed
*Step to facilitate ancillary development near mega projects
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 19: Finally, the Housing and Urban Development Department has carried out amendments in the Jammu Master Plan-2032 and changed the land use of 2244 kanals in nine villages. This move has rectified the glaring discrepancies and paved the way for creation of ancillary activities in the vicinity of under construction mega developmental projects.
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The issue was exclusively highlighted by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated August 12, 2021 mentioning that several glaring discrepancies in the Jammu Master Plan-2032 are impeding developmental activities including mega projects and unless revision exercise is carried out as per the laid down norms as early as possible the holistic development of Jammu cannot be ensured.
In edition dated October 11, 2021, EXCELSIOR further revealed that proposal for rectification of discrepancies by inviting objections and suggestions from the public was placed before the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his approval.
Finally, the much-needed exercise has been completed by the Housing and Urban Development Department and modifications in the Jammu Master Plan 2032 have been notified vide SO-243 dated May 17, 2022 in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 12 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970 and the amendments have come into force with immediate effect.
The land use of 2244 kanals in 9 villages has been changed to Residential, Commercial and Public/Semi Public. Land use of 199 kanals in Khasra No.1166 of Jagti village has been changed from Open Spaces to Residential while as land use of 90 kanals in Khasra No.62 of village Deeli has been modified from Open Spaces and Water Body to Residential.
In village Rail Head Complex (part of Bahu Plaza), land use of 24 kanals has been changed from Transport to Commercial while as in Khasra Nos. 959, 960, 970 and 1030 of village Birpur the land use of 300 kanals has been changed from Water Body/Open Space/Residential and Vegetation to Residential.
Further, in Khasra No.424, 425 (min) of Pragalta Site-I the land use of 60 kanals has been changed from Forest to Residential while as in Khasra No.426 (min) of Pragalta Site-II, the land use of 150 kanals has been changed from Forest to Residential.
In Kharas Nos. 5788, 5713 and 3827 of village Bhalwal, land use of 270 kanals has been changed from Vegetation/Open Space/Buffer Nallah to Residential while as in Khasra No.243 of village Majeen land use of 818 kanals has been modified from Forest to Public/Semi-Public. In Khasra No.746 of village Gol Gujral, the land use of 333 kanals has been changed from Public/Semi-Public to Residential.
A number of mega development projects are presently being executed and are at advanced stage of implementation within the local planning area of Jammu—-Delhi-Katra Expressway, Jammu-Akhnoor Four Laning, Ring Road from Raya Morh to Nagrota, Jammu Metrolite Rail Project, AIIMS, IIT and IIM which have unleashed the developmental potential of the surrounding areas and provided options for decongestion of the core city area which also generated ancillary developmental demands in the vicinity as such the amendments assume significance, sources said.
They said that after passing of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, a number of amendments were carried out in the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970 to cater to the emerging developmental needs of the urban areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the most significant being that within the notified area, the land use prescribed in the Master Plan has been given precedence over the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, J&K Land Revenue Act and other Revenue laws.
During the implementation phase of the regulations of the notified plan particularly while sanctioning of building permissions of various Government, public and private persons, many discrepancies in terms of land use were observed in which land use of many land patches had been envisaged as Open Spaces, Green Buffer, Vegetation, Forest and Water Bodies which being unfit for construction activity had an adverse impact on the creation of infrastructure and other facilities in and around Jammu city.
Moreover, many representations were received from public mostly concerning non-compatible land use in the peripheral areas of Jammu Master Plan-2032 where no construction was allowed, the land use having been specified only for agriculture and urban agriculture activities in such areas.
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