J&K races against time to complete Master Plans for 25 towns, cities

Jammu Master Plan-2032 review has no fixed timeline

Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Sept 29: With 25 cities and towns at widely different stages of Master Plan preparation, the Jammu and Kashmir Government is now racing against time to meet its target of completing all the GIS-based plans during the current financial year. Adding to the uncertainty, no specific timeframe has been set for completion of the review of the Jammu Master Plan-2032.

This has come to the fore from the reply furnished by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also Minister Incharge Housing and Urban Development, to a question in the Legislative Assembly regarding planned development of major towns and cities of Jammu and Kashmir through preparation of Master Plans.

As per the reply, Srinagar Master Plan-2035 was notified vide SRO No. 160 dated March 7, 2019, Jammu Master Plan-2032 vide SRO No. 90 dated March 3, 2017, Udhampur Master Plan-2032 vide SRO No. 91 dated March 3, 2017 and Katra Master Plan vide SRO No. 125 dated April 4, 2016.

”The review of the Jammu Master Plan-2032 is presently at final stage”, the Chief Minister said without specifying any timeframe for completion of the exercise.

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Under AMRUT 2.0, 25 cities/towns have been approved for formulation/review of the GIS-based Master Plans, which are at various stages of preparation and are expected to be finalized during the current financial year.

However, the analysis of status reveals that the exercise is progressing at dramatically different speeds and there are remote chances of all these towns formally having approved Master Plans during the current financial year.

The review of Katra Master Plan has so far reached the initial technical stage, with the inception report submitted, examined and approved. The status does not indicate that the exercise has moved to subsequent stages of preparation.

The Akhnoor Master Plan, Reasi Master Plan, Ramban Master Plan, Banihal Master Plan, the review of Udhampur Master Plan, Kathua Master Plan, Samba Master Plan, R S Pura Master Plan and Doda Master Plan are similarly at the initial stage, with inception reports submitted, examined and approved. However, no subsequent stages have been reflected in the status although multiple technical and procedural steps are required to be followed before final approval and notification.

The position of Rajouri, Poonch and Kishtwar is particularly significant. Their Development Authorities are under the administrative control of the Tourism Department and preparation of their Master Plans has not yet moved into the same implementation stream as several other towns.

“Tenders for preparation of their Master Plans are expected to be floated shortly by the Tourism Department”, the Chief Minister said.

The Anantnag-Bijbehara-Mattan Master Plan-2044 is among the most advanced cases in the exercise. The major development is that the Draft Master Plan has been submitted and placed in the public domain, with scrutiny of objections and suggestions under process.

As far as Bandipora is concerned, the preliminary Draft Master Plan remains under scrutiny, meaning that the plan has not yet crossed the final approval and notification stages. Regarding Pulwama and Kupwara, the existing land-use plan has been submitted and remarks have been conveyed to the consultants.

The Budgam Master Plan-2047 remains at the early stage. Its inception report and collection of base maps have been submitted, examined and approved. The status does not indicate that Budgam has yet reached the subsequent data-analysis, projected-requirement or draft-plan stages.

The Kulgam Master Plan-2047 is considerably further ahead as the inception report and base-map work have been completed and approved. The Data Analysis Report, including spatial-attribute and socio-economic data collection and analysis, has also been submitted, examined and approved.

The Baramulla Master Plan-2047 has moved beyond inception and base-map preparation. Its Data Analysis Report, including spatial and socio-economic data, has been submitted, examined and approved.  The Sopore Master Plan-2047 has completed the inception and base-map stages. Its Data Analysis Report has been submitted, examined and approved.

With the Government expecting all 25 GIS-based Master Plans to be finalized during the current financial year, the considerable variation in their present stages leaves a tight window for completing technical preparation, consultations, scrutiny, approval and formal notification of the plans.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister informed that vide Government Order No.1152-JK(GAD) dated July 1, 2026, high-level committees have been constituted for formulation, supervision, monitoring and vetting of Master Plans of 10 Tourism Development Authorities in the first phase.