With too many road, housing and institutional projects requiring too much space in a land-scarce Kashmir, the government said it would not permit fertile land to get consumed, an apparent response to public demand, writes Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister, said in his maiden presser, requires decongestion. Responding to the land demand-related queries by the scribes for development and housing, Omar Abdullah said there are small buildings in Srinagar, that house too many families and people are keen to move out and have their own houses. However, he asserted that the government would ensure that no productive land goes into housing or any institution building because Kashmir is a land-scarce.
In Kashmir and parts of Jammu, land has always been in debate. These started snowballing into an issue soon after the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) signed a MoU with NBCC in August 2024 for developing a satellite township at Rakh-e-Gundak Shah near Bemina. Spread over 406 acres (3920 kanals), this township would require a Rs 15000 crore investment to become a modern housing settlement.
The MoU was signed soon after the LG’s Administrative Council approved the Land Pooling Policy (LPP) and Transferable Development Rights Policy. Under the LPP, the developers or private land owners can pool their land and obtain authorisation for development. While permitting the constructions, the government shall keep sufficient land for the development of infrastructure, wide roads, parks, open spaces and other amenities and the remaining land would be returned to the landowners which they would share proportionately among themselves. All notified land parcels above 50 hectares will fall under the policy.
The idea behind the LPP is to improve the value of the land for stakeholders and offer better infrastructure so that haphazard constructions are done away with.
The other linked development envisaged approval to Grant and Utilization of Transferable Development Rights. Under this scheme, the land surrendered by a land owner or a developer free of cost for public purposes such as road widening, public passage, conservation, heritage and other infrastructure development, shall be granted a non-financial compensation in the form of a TDR certificate specifying the Built-Up Area (BUA) or Floor Area Ratio (FAR) given to a land owner or developer which he can utilise in remaining part of his property or build elsewhere and even monetise by selling TDR to any other developer or user in receiving areas. This, the government said would allow developers to build above the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for the land surrendered in congested areas. TDR policy is aimed to help accelerate the implementation of Master Plan proposals and shall be initially implemented in the JDA and SDA jurisdiction.
The same meeting granted permission for raising a Satellite Township with commercial spaces, government offices, green spaces, sports facilities and a 200 key 5-star hotel in five years. This township, which is part of the flood basin, will have 3200 housing units available for auction.
Ring Road Townships
As the 2024 year end started approaching the Jammu Kashmir Hosing Board indicated plans to set up as many as 30 Satellite Townships on either side of the upcoming Semi Ring Road around Srinagar – from Galander in Pampore to Ganderbal. Each township would require around 200 hectares, a total of 6,000 hectares (1,18,000 kanals), most of which is agricultural land.
The plans were revealed when Revenue officials started the process of locating the spaces already notified, preventing landowners in 55 revenue villages of Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandiproa, Ganderbal and Pulwama from making any constructions on 500 meters adjoining the road. “No person shall within the area of 500 meters from the boundary of Ring Road erect, or proceed with any building or work or enter into any contract for two years,” the notification issued by the Divisional Commissioner said. “The government has placed a moratorium on the sale and purchase of the land within 500 meters from the boundary of the ring road.”
This triggered a storm as questions started crawling to the streets: Where will we go, the farmers asked after the government takes our land. Why houses on the road only? Who will live in these new townships, even politicians asked? Will they be compensated? If yes, how much?
The government has no plans to acquire the land. The land owners would receive serviced land with enhanced value, while the development agency would control “haphazard fringe” development and promote “planned urban growth.” This meant the government is not only taking the land but also affecting an occupational shift from a traditional to an urbanised set-up. Within this controversy, the government appointed the boss for the newly created Jammu and Kashmir Real Estate Regulatory Authority.
Passing through the orchards and the rice fields, the Rs 2919 crore, Ring Road (phase 1) has already taken 4730 kanal of agricultural land of which 3661 kanal were in Budgam, 379 kanal in Pulwama, 202 kanal in Srinagar, 176 kanal in Ganderbal, 160 kanal in Bandipora, and 150 kanals in Baramulla. The road is to be completed in two phases: the 34.72 km 4-lane Galander to Narbal stretch and the 27.2 km 2-lane Narbal to Ganderbal phase. The completed project would have 290 culverts, two road-over bridges, two flyovers, 10 major junctions, 26 minor junctions, and a toll plaza at Narbal junction. With the first phase about to be ready, township talks started.
A New Highway
Amid tensions over the Ring Road townships, reports about the proposed 300-km highway, linking Surankote (Poonch) to Magam (Budgam) started appearing. Supposed to take Rs 3,300 crore, the project, known as National Highway 701A, will pass through Shopian, Pulwama, and Budgam, as well as popular tourist sites like Yousmarg and Doodhpathri.
On October 28, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways awarded the construction contract for the 159-km highway to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Supposed to pass through forests and agricultural land and a pristine green belt, this project would require a lot of land.
Dr Raja Muzaffar terms the project as a catastrophe, warning it would harm biodiversity in Shopian, Pulwama, and Budgam. The destruction of apple trees in Zawoora, Moshwara, and Kellar would threaten local livelihoods. Besides, forests in the Doodh Ganga, Raithan, and Sukhnag ranges would be affected, and freshwater streams would be exploited for riverbed material. It will also impact Herpora Wildlife Sanctuary in Shopian, home to the rare spiral-horned Markhor, which has already taken the Mughal Road brunt. Muzaffar asserted that the new road particularly between Shopian and Beerwah, would disrupt the seasonal grazing lands and migratory routes of Gujjar, Bakerwal, and Chopan families, with meadows like Haijan, Surakhnari, and Palmaidan at risk of destruction.
NIT Relocation Plans
Soon came up another issue. The National Institute of Technology (NIT) is thinking of moving out from its fascinating lakeshore location in Hazrtabal – from 67-acre to 600-acre karewa deep in Pulwama. The piece of tableland is known for its almond and apple orchards as hundreds of families from 16 villages have their livelihoods linked to it. The karewa plateau, vital for its orchards, carbon sequestration, and pollinator habitats, is economically and ecologically significant. Almond farming, facing competition from imported almonds, is vital to the local economy.
Another set of questions started walking. Why should NIT move from a residential campus to a remote area? Why does an engineering college with 3000 students require 4836 kanals? People even started generating comparisons with some of the world’s top universities including MIT.
Concern, Anger
All these proposed projects are facing criticism from activists, politicians and landowners, arguing the land-scarce region may not afford such luxuries. While it will eat up the livelihoods on one side, these projects will imbalance the fragile ecology and make life unsustainable. Kashmir is already a crucible for climate change. All these developments came in a row at a time when Omar Abdullah was still trying to locate the ways and means of governing Jammu and Kashmir.
“The transformation would cause irreversible ecological damage,” Muzaffar said, “Kashmir’s orchards act as carbon sinks and support local biodiversity.”
Kashmir landowners are marginal ones. The average landholding size is 0.25 hectares.
Ali Mohammad Dar, the MLA from Chadoora, raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the projects, especially the satellite townships. He highlighted the disproportionate impact on the Budgam district and appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider the township’s location.
Omar Abdullah denied that any proposal or blueprint for the satellite township had been shared with his government. “The aim,” he clarified, “is to decongest the city and offer people a chance to live near urban amenities in a more open environment.”
Acknowledging the emotional and historical ties people have to their land, Omar recognised the difficulty of parting with ancestral property. He noted that for many, “this land was passed down through immense hardships,” making relinquishment difficult. While acknowledging concerns, he argued that development could not be halted and called for a balanced approach. He asserted the need to avoid taking fertile agricultural land for infrastructure projects, stressing, “We must protect those that are fertile.”
On NIT, he admitted having told the stakeholders that NIT is a great institution and would benefit them. “If you do not want, no issues,” he told the media. “We have many takers and we will shift it to a place which requires it.”
