Thrust on vital aspect remains confined to document only
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 22: Even seven years after the notification of Jammu Master Plan, there is absolutely no focus on framing of Zonal Plans by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) despite being aware of the fact that absence of micro-level planning has already led to unbridled growth in most of the areas.
Vide Notification SRO-90 dated March 3, 2017, the Government notified the revised Jammu Master Plan-2032 in terms of Section 11 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970.
At that time, it was officially stated that Jammu Master Plan-2021 had divided the Local Planning Area of the Jammu into 10 Planning Divisions with a purpose to sustain and harmonise the development. However, the micro level plans—Zonal Plans and the Development Plan for special area as recommended in the Jammu Master Plan-2021 were not framed which has left the city development at the mercy of normative proposals making city growth unbridled in nature.
Moreover, it was mentioned that the inherent aberration in land-use of the Master Plan-2021 on account of out-dated data inputs used as bases for the formulation of Master Plan vitiated the Master Plan objectives.
Further, it was stated that the plan also lacked the realistic vision, policy directives, realistic targets, continuity in planning, Zonal Plans, private initiatives and involvement and participation of stakeholders at every stage of planning and implementation strategy. As a consequence, revision of the Master Plan was necessitated for the Jammu city mainly to look into the inadequacies of the Jammu Master Plan-2021 and growing requirements.
It was claimed at that time that required attention will be paid towards framing of Zonal Plans under Jammu Master Plan-2032, which recommends identification of priorities in dealing with different segments of the population. In the Jammu Master Plan-2032 document it has been mentioned that land shall be earmarked for affordable housing/EWS once the Zonal Plans are prepared and finalized.
However, even seven years after the notification of Jammu Master Plan-2032, the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has not started paying serious attention towards framing of Zonal Plans, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “it seems that JDA has not learnt any lesson from the past mistakes and the concern expressed about the shortcomings in the implementation of Jammu Master Plan-2021 was confined to the official document only”.
After repeated attempts, Vice-Chairman Jammu Development Authority Bhawani Rakwal received the telephonic call and said, “at present mid-term revision of the Jammu Master Plan-2032 is going on and the revised Master Plan will be put in the public domain for inviting objections and suggestions”.
However, when asked about inordinate delay in the framing of Zonal Plans, he said, “I am travelling right now and can’t talk”. But, reliable sources confirmed that there is absolutely no focus on Zonal Plans till date.
“Everyone knows that Zonal Development Plans are necessary requirement for implementation of the Master Plan and absence of the same results into tardy implementation of the Master Plan but this simply aspect has not been understood by those who remained at the helm of affairs in the Jammu Development Authority during all these years”, sources remarked.
They further said, “land being a scarce and non-renewable resource, the Jammu Master Plan-2032 envisages its most effective and judicious use in the best interest of a community through the instrument of land-use plan further to be detailed in Zonal Plans”.
It is pertinent to mention here that vide notification dated May 17, 2022 some modifications were carried out in the Jammu Master Plan-2032 particularly in respect of land use and at that time stress was also laid on framing of Zonal Plans but till date Jammu Development Authority has not initiated any exercise in this regard for the reasons best known to those at the helm of affairs in the organization.
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