Demand to halt FAR and land use relaxations until master plan review in Srinagar

According to a report by The Hindu, Himalayan hill towns have currently reached the limits of their carrying capacity, resulting in the drying up of springs, pollution of ponds, and an increase in landslide incidents. In such a situation, it is imperative to measure the capacity of an area before granting permission for large constructions for the development of any hill town.

However, the development model currently in implementation in Jammu and Kashmir, along with recent notifications and bills, are making it easier to carry out more construction on more land, which is increasing the pressure on Srinagar city. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is a method that determines how much floor space can be built on a specific plot. For example, if a 100 square metre plot has 200% FAR, then 200 square metres of floor space can be built. When this number is increased, it creates a need for more people, vehicles, toilets, and drainage systems on the same plot, which increases the burden on the city's infrastructure.

Over the last nine months, frequent changes have been made to construction-related rules. Amendments were made to the building bye-laws on 1 December, 2025. Subsequently, on 24 July, 2026, these rules were extended to Housing Board colonies, where additional FAR was permitted and setbacks (the space between construction and the boundary) were reduced.

Following this, new limits were proposed on 9 September, 2026, which included a provision of 300% FAR for commercial complexes. On 28 September, 2026, the 'Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026' was introduced in the Assembly. In the first week of October, the Lieutenant Governor gave his assent to this bill, converting it into law. There are fears that all these rapid changes and relaxations have posed a risk to the future and environmental balance of Srinagar.