In order to make the dream of ‘New Srinagar’ and ‘New Jammu’ as Metropolitan cities come true , the State Administrative Council headed by the Governor, it may be recalled , had approved a Bill named as Jammu and Kashmir Metropolitan Region Development Authorities 2018. The aim and purpose of the said Bill was primarily to regulate and promote planned development and growth of new Jammu and Srinagar cities. Not only was the enactment of the said Act thought to be a landmark in the approach and vision towards addressing the fallout of the rapid expansion of the two cities for the last two to three decades but under its auspices, the need was felt for futuristic perspective planning leading to building new townships, introducing metros and provide other institutional framework .
In this connection, ‘Excelsior’ has already carried through these very columns, the details about the Act late last year and the hopes it generated for witnessing employing new and innovative approaches to the challenges of fast urbanisation in the Jammu and Kashmir, the State administration under the Governor having taken cue and experience in the matter from developed cities and metros like Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram, Hyderabad etc. However, since nearly two months have elapsed , we do not find any sort of development having taken place in the matter so far, at least not even some preparations having begun so far. Metropolitan Region Development Authorities had not only to be established but made functional as well. The Metropolitan regions even have not been notified by the Housing and Urban Development Department till date. However, it appears a half baked initiative , perhaps meeting the requirements of mere formality, that a letter in early January this year gets issued from the said Department to Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir to propose areas to be brought under the Metropolitan Regions under Jammu and Srinagar . Though this letter had made it “abundantly clear” that the exercise was to be completed by or before January 28, yet no headway has been noticed .
Agreed, the State administration , unfortunately has been experiencing much of its priorities rescheduled, if not literally drained out towards maintaining peace and tranquillity that gets threatened intermittently due to misdemeanours from across the border but attention towards infrastructural development and growth must not get slackened too. At least, even up to the extent of keeping paper work prim and up to date in the sense replying official letters and communiqués too have been found wanting in, as a reminder from the Housing Department of February 8 amply proves. It is a simple corollary that first the areas to be brought under the Metropolitan Regions are to be identified and notified , MRD Authorities cannot be made functional thereafter. In other words, the very initial stage of action plan is in utter dormancy though only nearly two months have gone by. Let the traditional benchmarks established as a working culture in Jammu and Kashmir State be now no longer allowed to be continued to be pursued in the changed scenario when even a slight delay in matters of development and growth can hardly be justified or afforded.
The Jammu and Kashmir State Town Planning Act and Jammu and Kashmir Development Act both provide for sufficient powers to be wielded by the Authorities for assisting the CEOs of Metropolitan Region Development Authorities in preparation of Master Plan, Zonal Plan or Town Planning Scheme. The objectives of the MRDA Act 2018 can, therefore, be achieved only after the Government made the MRDAs fully functional as such we urge the concerned authorities to spare due attention towards the issue.
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