Jammu Master Plan-2032 stalled over zoning rectification, data verification: CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday said final approval of the Jammu Master Plan-2032 has been delayed due to rectification of land-use zoning, boundary alignment with revenue villages, incorporation of public objections and suggestions, and collection and verification of data from multiple departments.

Consequently, the area under the Jammu Master Plan has increased from 652.33 sqkm to 777.84 sqkm, covering 350 revenue villages.

Replying to a question by BJP MLA Chander Prakash in the Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the revision of the Jammu Master Plan-2032, which began in 2021, is presently under consideration by the government.

"The reasons for delay in final approval are rectification of incorrect land-use zoning and boundary alignment with revenue villages, incorporation of sustainable public objections and suggestions, and the time taken in obtaining and verifying data from multiple departments, including pending inputs from the revenue and forest departments,” Abdullah said in the written reply.

He said approval for review of the Jammu Master Plan-2032 was accorded on October 18, 2021, under Section 3 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970. "The terms of reference were signed between the Jammu Development Authority and the Town and Country Planning Organisation on January 28, 2021," he said.

Urban planners and GIS (Geographic Information System) experts were engaged and base maps were prepared using satellite imagery and existing land-use surveys, he said. "Traffic and transport surveys and a socio-economic survey were conducted through the All India Institute of Local Self Government, followed by detailed sectoral analysis and preparation of technical reports."

The planning boundary was rectified and the local planning area increased from 652.33 sq km to 777.84 sq km, covering 350 revenue villages, he added.

The revised draft master plan was placed in the public domain for 80 days from October 14, 2024, to January 3, 2025, during which 143 objections and suggestions were received, he said.

"A board of inquiry was constituted vide government order dated January 16, 2025, and public hearings were conducted on January 23, 2025," the chief minister said, adding that the exercise of holding public hearings has been completed.

However, BJP MLA Yudvir Sethi contended that despite one-and-a-half years of the government being in office, the Jammu Master Plan-2032 is yet to be approved. "When the entire exercise has been completed by the government, why is the cabinet sitting over it? They have failed to approve it," he said.