Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 13: Haphazard constructions go on unabated in the areas proposed to be brought under the Master Plan for Greater Udhampur as the bureaucratic inertia mars progress over the ambitious project.
Except issuing an SRO constituting Udhampur Development Authority, no progress has been made on the next move over Master Plan even after more than eight months since submission of the Concept Report to the Urban Development Department, official sources told the Excelsior.
As the major exercise of inviting objections by the general public and other stakeholders is yet to be initiated, the ambitious Master Plan is likely to get further delayed thus allowing haphazard construction in the proposed notified area.
It may be mentioned here that after completion of basic survey and ground work on Master Plan for the Greater Udhampur Town, Concept Draft Plan was submitted to the State Government in February last for further action. The concept report, prepared by M/s Tech Mech International Private Limited- an Ahmedabad based private consultancy, was submitted to Town Planning Organization in Housing and Urban Development Department for further action of the Government.
However, the Department did not initiate any further step except constituting Udhampur Development Authority vide SRO 317 dated July 3, 2013 under the powers conferred by Sub Section (1) of Section 3 of the Jammu & Kashmir Development Act, 1970.
As per the notification, 70 villages of Udhampur tehsil from the town to Rehmbal in North and Ritti-Round Domail in South besides covering Jakhani, Omala, Kawa and Cherri Sallayan rural areas come under the jurisdiction of the Udhampur Development Authority.
However, even after more than three months since issuance of the SRO on Udhampur Development Authority, the very next exercise of inviting objections by the general public and other stake holders has not yet been initiated.
After coming into existence, the Master Plan would fix the land use for different purposes in the notified area. Main features of the proposed Master Plan, which visualizes the future planning for Udhampur keeping in view projected population of the notified area for the next 30 years, include a Housing Colony, Mini Secretariat, Transport terminals, Railway line, Gas pipeline, solid waste management site, additional inhabitation areas near close vicinity of the town and notified jurisdiction etc.
Concept report of the proposed Master Plan was prepared after basic survey conducted by various departments like PWD, PHE, PDD, Health, Education, Railways, Industries, Forest, Municipal Council, Revenue Department etc.
According to the sources, bureaucratic inertia is delaying progress on proposed Master Plan as the file in this regard is gathering dust in the Housing and Urban Development Department, particularly since the superannuation of then Commissioner Secretary Jeet Lal Gupta.
When contacted, MLA Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia said that he had taken up the issue with the Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rizin Jora during the recently concluded Assembly session in Srinagar. The Minister has assured to speed up the things after Darbar move to Jammu next month, the MLA added.
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