Srinagar, Dec 6: Notwithstanding the government claims that no building construction would be allowed for new colonies with roads lesser than 20 feet wide, the norms are being brazenly violated in the City while the Enforcement officials of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation are sleeping over the issue.

THE NORMS
 Last year the government announced that building permission norms have been amended adding that constructions would not be allowed in new colonies having roads lesser than 20-feet wide.
 On October 20, 2011, the Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development, PHE, Tourism, Revenue, Relief and Home, Nasir Aslam Wani said the SMC would keep check with regard to adherence of directions in the City.
 Addressing a workshop which was attended by scores of senior police and civil officials, he termed the decision major development. “Another major decision recently taken was that the internal roads of all new colonies shall have to be ranging from 20 to 25 feet to allow smooth movement of traffic and especially rescue vehicles in case of any eventuality,” the minister maintained.

THE VIOLATIONS
 However, in reality from Soura in north City to Humhama in South and Parimpora in the west, the norms are being brazenly violated.
 Even though the complaints in this regard were put before the Enforcement wing, from time-to-time, the Khilafwarzi officers slept over the issue pleading that the norms were “not applicable”.
 The officials have a self-satisfying excuse that no new colony has come up in the City. “The existing colonies are expanding and so why does the norm need to be maintained?” argued a official in the Enforcement wing.
 This is despite the fact that the Enforcement wing is bound to keep checks on the ground situation.

TARA’S WARNING
 Amid complaints of alleged corruption in the Enforcement wing, particularly in the past 20 years when Srinagar’s Master Plan, as per Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand was brazenly violated, the officials were expected to be extra cautious.
 The argument holds weight in the backdrop of the fact that the Deputy Chief Minister has time and again cautioned the officials to ensure that the Master Plan is not violated. Over the time, his warnings are going more stringent. Recently talking to media persons in the summer Capital, Tara Chand said that officials involved in the Master Plan violation would be seriously dealt with.
 Leave apart placing the accused under suspension, he hinted that such elements could be terminated from the services.
 Amid complaints of large scale violations of the Master Plan, the Pandoras box of troubles is likely to open soon for the “blacksheep” who have often been accused of “allowing violations” while residential areas of Srinagar continue to get converted into commercial zones where business deals worth millions could take place.
(To be concluded)

Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST