KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The Government is readying with new draft of the Master Plan for Srinagar and the plan proposes to expand the city limits by 340 sq kilometers.
The draft of the plan is likely to be put in public next month for 60 days so as to get feedback, criticism, response from the people concerned about the plan. The new master plan will be valid upto the year 2035.
An official involved in drafting of the plan told KNS that the plan will be put in public domain soon.
“In the new Master Plan the city limits will be expanded by 340 sq kilometers. At present the city limits stand at 416 sq km and with the new addition the city will expand up to 756 sq km,” the official said.
The planners have given special emphasis for making separate areas for education, transport health sector and other requirements. Housing, transport, heritage, water bodies, tourism, sanitation and environment have been taken care of in the new plan.
The preservation of heritage and water bodies in the city has been given preference in the new plan to make Srinagar a tourist hub.
“Areas will be marked for separate hubs for education, transport, health and more facilities that are needed as per the modern city requirements,” the official said.
The official said a plan has been given for establishing of three ring roads for the city to connect it to Bypass and other districts.
“The existing transport network is based on radial pattern. Emphasis in the new plan has been given to make roads on ring patterns to connect the missing links,” the official said.
In 2000, Master Plan for Srinagar was drafted which was approved in 2003. Later in 2011given the emerging city requirements and more urbanisation, the government felt the need to revise the plan.
However, because of a number of flaws kept in the plan Ahmadabad-based consultancy firm – SAI Consultants, it is being revised by the town planning experts.
“The new plan has been drafted keeping in view increasing population of the city and migration of people toward the summer capital,” the official said.
Chief Town Planner, Kashmir, Ifitkhar Hakeem said that the plan is being revised and will be put in public domain for feedback in July for 60 days.
Master plan is a draft that lays out a map of how development planning is to be carried out for cities. Construction of roads, hotels, rail lines, bridges, housing colonies and shopping malls is to be done as per the plan. And its violation is illegal. However, in Srinagar master plan has always been violated.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while holding several meetings in the last two months has insisted to complete the draft master plan and directed the officials to implement it.
For winter capital, Jammu, draft of Master Plan has been completed and is already in public domain.
