Master Plan violations accelerate on highway

Apart from dozens of illegal constructions allowed in the past few months, some half a dozen fresh “commercial buildings” are popping up on the stretch between Nowgam and Bemina.
On the Nowgam highway where the authorities in the past months allowed commercial complexes to even encroach upon the main road, new shops lines are under construction in the area.
Similar is the scene at LD Colony, HyderPora where a huge RCC column building is under construction. The construction is believed to be an upcoming hotel while the residents said such commercial buildings were infringement into their privacy. “If privacy of residential colonies is to be breached than what is the role of administration with regard to safeguard of Master Plan norms… Or are they only meant to grab kickbacks in such deals?” asked a delegation of LD Colony residents.
They said even though the matter was brought into the notice of the SMC authorities, no action was taken. “This commercial construction has been going on for the past over a month and there has been no check on the violations,” the locals said.
“This was the only portion which was spared from the commercial complexes but now this too is being devastated in the name of development,” they said.
Several such illegal constructions are equally popping up in Bemina, Bagh-e-Mehtab and adjoining areas along the highway. Huge commercial complexes are also being constructed on the Airport Road, which intersects the highway. The enforcement squads are believed to be offering “advice for money services.” “At places incomplete commercial establishments have been faked to be inhibited so as to give it a feel that the building existed there for years,” said an insider in the Vigilance Organization Kashmir adding that despite complaints the VOK was silent.
Sources alleged that some Netas in the ruling coalition were “willfully managing the Master Plan violations for personal and party gains.” “Finding the Netascompromise with the violations, the enforcement squads continue to grab millions,” said a lower rung official asking not to be identified.
The highway areas fall in the domains of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and the Srinagar Development Authority, which also happens to be the custodian of the City’s Master Plan.
But over the years the two have been accused of allowing large scale violations including construction of concrete structures on the middle of the highway.
A senior SMC official said the matter would be looked into. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Gazanfar Hussain on the other hand said no illegal construction would be tolerated. “Infact,” he said, “the administration has already started a drive to demolish illegal constructions.”
Admitting that such constructions have even added to flood threats, Hussain said “Court is being apprised about such demolitions on weekly basis.”
About the recent rise in illegal constructions, he said the matter would be seriously looked into.