5 months on, chief town planner position remains vacant

Srinagar, March 13: Despite the passing of five months, the position of Chief Town Planner in Srinagar remains vacant, resulting in the denial of building and construction permissions to the people, thereby forcing them to initiate illegal construction in Srinagar.
Many residents of the city have raised their voices, stating that they have been visiting various offices to obtain permission, but their pleas are being ignored, citing the absence of an officer in charge. Consequently, they are unable to proceed with any construction.
A group of affected residents stated that it has been five months since the last Building and Control Authority (BOCA) meeting took place, and no permissions have been issued by the administration in Srinagar city since then.
They mentioned that although the government had promised that online building permissions would provide relief, the situation has worsened. Obtaining permissions is taking an unusually long time, pushing residents towards illegal construction.
These residents have sought attention from the authorities before the implementation of the moral code of conduct. They stated that if the issue is not addressed, they will have to wait for another two to three months. “The delay in issuing NOCs for construction is due to the non-availability of the Chief Town Planner,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
He stated that the matter has been brought to the attention of the administration to fill the vacant position and assured that the issue will be resolved within a few days. According to reports, the office of the Chief Town Planner in Srinagar has been vacant for a long time.
The administration had been making arrangements to address the situation and provide relief to residents seeking building permissions. However, for unknown reasons, no one has been appointed as the Chief Town Planner Officer for the past three months, causing great inconvenience to the general public.
A resident of Nigeen, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared with Rising Kashmir that he has been visiting the office for several months to obtain permission to construct a residential house.
Despite several months passing, he has been unable to find a solution. He expressed his helplessness, stating that illegal construction seemed to be his only option. He added, “If I had been issued permission on time, I would have completed my structure. But I am helpless, and I am well aware that if I proceed with construction, several departments will question me and my structure will be demolished.” The residents have sought the attention of the Lieutenant Governor, stating that if the position is not filled, they will have no option but to resort to illegal construction.