Creation of Special Investment Zones suggested
Expansion of area up to 777.84 sq km proposed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 30: After nearly a year of procedural delays and prolonged consultations, the much-awaited draft of the revised Jammu Master Plan has finally been submitted to the Government for placement before the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
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As per the provisions of Rule 6(ii) of the J&K Development Authority Rules, 1976, the draft of the revised Jammu Master Plan-2032 was prepared and placed in the public domain on October 14, 2024 with December 14, 2024 fixed as the last date for submission of objections and suggestions. However, the process took longer than the expected time frame due to delays in the receipt of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from certain departments.
“Recently, the draft of the revised Jammu Master Plan was submitted to the Government for placement before the Cabinet for consideration and approval and the matter is expected to come up before the Cabinet shortly, paving the way for adoption of a spatial planning framework to guide Jammu’s urban growth, economic activity and infrastructure development over the next decade”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“The revised plan proposes a significant expansion of the city’s planning limits-from the existing 652.33 square kilometers to 777.84 square kilometers. Further, total revenue villages proposed to be included in the revision of Jammu Master Plan-2032 are 351—-262 from Jammu district and remaining 89 from Samba district”, sources informed.
They said that revised plan has been prepared in line with rapid urbanization trends, increasing economic activity and the growing influence of Jammu’s urban agglomeration on surrounding rural areas. “Many of the identified villages, though rural in character at present, are expected to transition into urban settlements within the next two to three decades”, they added.
“The revised Master Plan aims at comprehensive provision of amenities, facilities, services and utilities to improve quality of life and integrate rural settlements with the proposed urban framework. Education, health, recreation, sanitation, water supply, improved transport networks and work centers are part of the development vision,” sources added.
The draft envisages these villages as self-sustaining entities with strong linkages to the mother city, while continuing to benefit from Rural Development Department schemes. Agricultural lands around the identified villages are proposed to be brought under planned residential, commercial and public/semi-public usages, with development through land pooling.
On the economic front, the Master Plan proposes around 44.52 sq km (5.72%) under commercial land use and 14.38 sq km (1.84%) under industrial use. It also envisages the industrial sector as a major focus for investment and diversification of Jammu’s economic base. Special Investment Zones or Special Economic Zones are proposed at Badwal near Vijaypur and Sarore in Bishnah, along with a rejig of existing industrial estates.
“With the draft now ready for Cabinet’s consideration, the exercise is set to reach its logical conclusion. Once approved, the revised Jammu Master Plan-2032 will provide the necessary policy framework to balance urban expansion with ecological and resource considerations,” sources said, adding “the Cabinet nod is expected in the coming weeks, which will formally bring the revised Master Plan into effect for the extended jurisdiction”.
As per the sources, the revised Master Plan emphasizes maintaining ecological balance by protecting green belts, water bodies and forest cover while accommodating expansion. Moreover, provisions have been made for various measures to decongest the city and improve the mobility.
“The revised Master Plan has been drafted keeping in view Jammu’s role as a major pilgrim and cultural hub. Further, the draft lays stress on promoting housing schemes for different income groups, with earmarked land for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Keeping in view Jammu’s seismic vulnerability, disaster-resilient planning norms have been suggested in the revised framework”.
When contacted, officers of the Jammu Development Authority, while wishing anonymity, confirmed that draft revised Master Plan has been submitted to the Government for the Cabinet approval. “We are hopeful of an early nod”, they added.
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