Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 2: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that Jammu and Kashmir where haphazard growth of capital cities and all major towns is continuing unabated, the vital task of town planning is being handled by those organizations, which have been rendered ‘paralytic’ by none else than the successive Governments. The outcome of non-serious approach is that none of the major towns of the State and Jammu and Srinagar cities are having comprehensive Master Plans to act as beacon light for planned development.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to ensure planned development of all the major towns of Jammu and Kashmir, an organization under the name and style of Design Directorate was established as one of the vital limb of the State Government in 1960. Thereafter, this Directorate was split into three bodies– Town Planning Organizations for Jammu and Kashmir provinces and Architect’s Organization for whole of the State.
But during the past several decades no serious step was initiated to strengthen Town Planning Organizations despite the fact that they have an important role to play in ensuring planned development of every major town. Rather these organizations were allowed to become ‘defunct’ with the passage of time and presently both these organizations are ‘paralytic’ due to absence of adequate manpower particularly qualified town planners.
“At present these organizations have only two-three qualified town planners despite having vast area to handle for ensuring planned development”, sources informed, adding “in the absence of trained manpower what wonders these organizations can do vis-à-vis preparing blue-print for planned development can be easily presumed”.
The intensity of non-seriousness towards infusing new blood in these organizations can be gauged from the fact that these organizations have not been provided modern equipments and laboratories required in the multi-disciplinary field of town planning, sources said while disclosing that even no recruitment for both these bodies was conducted during the past quite long time.
“Though Town Planning Organizations are conducting some exercise with much difficulties yet in the absence of trained manpower and other paraphernalia the exercise of preparing Master Plans for some towns of the State has to be outsourced”, sources said, adding “it is due to these organizations remaining paralytic that none of the towns of the State have any comprehensive Master Plan and the outcome of the same is haphazard development”.
According to the information available with EXCELSIOR, Master Plans of only Udhampur and Katra towns have been prepared till date but the same are yet to be approved by the Government while as the exercise for other towns is going on at snail’s pace in the absence of manpower and necessary equipment with the Town Planning Organization, Jammu. Similar situation is being faced by Town Planning Organization, Srinagar.
“It is a matter of serious concern that none of the 122 major, medium and small towns in Jammu and Kashmir have any blue print for planned development and haphazard growth is taking place without any check”, sources regretted.
Like previous Governments, PDP-BJP Government has also flagged upgradation of towns as priority but how can the objective of planned development be achieved with ‘paralytic’ Town Planning Organizations remains a million dollar question, sources said, adding “Chief Minister is required to first infuse new lease of life into these organizations otherwise the priority would remain most un-prioritized.
“Not only for the towns, the Government is also required to keep political pressures at bay in order to put in place comprehensive Master Plans for capital cities too, which are handled by the Jammu and Srinagar Development Authorities as the Plans presently applicable are full of glaring mistakes”, sources stressed while disclosing that in Jammu Master Plan even historic Raghunath Bazar and Kanak Mandi have been declared as Green Areas.
It is pertinent to mention here that State High Court had also taken serious note of unplanned growth particularly in case of capital cities and holy town of Katra and issued various directions, which however could not be implemented due to enactment of J&K Civic Laws (Special Provisions) Act whereby demolition of unauthorized constructions was stopped by the Government.
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