In a significant development, the state administration has banned construction and development activities along the Bypass, from Pantha Chowk to Nowgam, under the Master Plan-2035.
An official document revealed that the state administrativecouncil, headed by the Governor recently approved a proposal with amodification that no development/construction activity shall be permitted alongthe Bypass which forms part of flood absorption basin.
“The preservation of this belt is important for the safetyof Srinagar city from floods. As such, it is strongly recommended to preservethis area from the onslaught of urban development including even earthfilling….it will not only create a new tourist destination but will alsoincrease the water holding capacity of the basin during floods,” reads thedocument.
A senior official said though the draft master plan hadproposed ban on construction activities along the Bypass, a constituted toreview the draft plan had recommended lifting of this ban.
“But it was the SAC headed by Governor SP Malik which duringits meeting recommended that the area should be kept as flood absorption basinand no developmental activities should be allowed there,” the official saidadding that earlier Irrigation and flood control department had also vouchedfor keeping this area as a reservoir basin to minimize damage to city duringfloods.
The official said a “certain lobby” had been pushing forkeeping this zone open for construction/development activity as “manyinfluential people” had purchased land in this zone.
Another official informed that the main reason for delay infinalizing the master plan was the issue of banning construction activitiesfrom Pantha Chowk to Nowgam.
The Master Plan has come into operation from March 7 byvirtue of notification issued by housing and urban development department. Nowall the provision of building laws and bye-laws will be governed by thisdocument,” said the official.
This is the third such developmental plan drafted for thecity in last 45 years to achieve its sustainable physical and economic growth.The inordinate delay in finalization of the master plan had triggered protestsfrom former legislators of Srinagar in the Assembly.
The master plan has a planning area of 766 sq. km whichincludes areas falling within limits of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC)and that of urban local bodies of Budgam, Ganderbal, Pampore and Khrew and 160villages in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Bandipora and Baramulladistricts.
With focus on sustainable development and calibrated toground realities, the document makes a departure from previous land use policy,development regulations and mixed land use regulations.
It lays down planning guidelines, policies, developmentalcode and space requirements for various socio-economic activities, supportingthe city population during the plan period.