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| Illegal structures galore in Srinagar | | '3000 buildings stand tall around bypass' | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 20: Nearly 10,000 structures are alleged to have come in Srinagar in violation of the master plan guidelines. Out of them, 3,000 are in Bypass area of Srinagar, ET has learnt.
"There are 3,000 structures in the bypass area which have come up in violation of the master plan norms. I can tell you that around 10,000 structures have come in complete violation of the Srinagar master plan guidelines in Srinagar," a senior officer in the office of Chief Town Planner, Kashmir, said.
He said while the violators had sought permission for residential buildings but constructed commercial structures, others had flouted the guidelines for construction of commercial structures. "Even the posh residential colonies of Srinagar that includes Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh, Gogjibagh, Wazirbagh, Karan Nagar and Bemina are fast turning into commercial hubs as Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials are allegedly allowing illegal constructions of commercial complexes, hotels and guest houses on mass scale in these areas," the official said and added that construction was being carried out during night hours or in the broad daylight behind tin sheets.
He maintained that though earlier the report prepared by the high level committee comprising of Additional Commissioner Kashmir, Vice Chairman Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), DC Srinagar, Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings and Special Secretary Housing and Urban Development was submitted to the government about the illegal constructions in Bypass area but the report was put into the cold storage for the reasons best known to the authorities.
He said the committee had identified 3000 structures in Bypass area which had come up in violation of master plan norms.
While making other disclosures, the officer said that almost all automobile showrooms in city especially set up on Nowgam bypass road had come up in gross violation of master plan norms.
"Owner of an automobile showroom in this area had got permission for establishing a poultry farm. Instead of establishing a poultry farm, he raised an automobile showroom and a service station using the same permission," he said.
He also said that many shopping complexes in Lal Chock area had no parking slots as per the guidelines.
Pertinently, the Srinagar Master Plan is applicable to a total of 417 square kilometers and out of this 160 square kilometers are looked after by Srinagar Development Authority (SDA). Rest of the area comes under the jurisdiction of SMC. Sources said that though both the executing and implementing agencies of the Master Plan had issued notices to some of the violators but to no avail.
Sources said the structures sealed by the authorities recently were a tip of the iceberg, adding that there was more than what meets the eye as far as the violation of master plan in Srinagar is concerned. "The two executing agencies are virtually helpless to implement the Master Plan on the ground as the higher ups influence these agencies whenever they try to act tough against the big guns," sources added.
Sources said that these days Srinagar's well planned residential colonies were fast turning into commercial areas in complete violation of Srinagar Master Plan guidelines.
Sources alleged that SMC officials were facilitating the conversion of these residential areas into commercial hubs.
As per sources, 90 per cent of the new constructions of some of the residential areas of Srinagar had been converted into commercial.
Sources said that in some cases permissions had been obtained for construction and reconstruction of residential buildings, but the structures were raised in violation of the sanctioned permission. "In certain cases, permission has been violated by constructing additional built up area in violation of ground coverage and prescribed setbacks and height,"
Moreover, sources said that building lines as prescribed in the Master Plan layout plans had also been violated by opening and constructing roadside shopping complexes, encroaching the 'useable' area at some places. |
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