J&K Govt plans satellite townships to tackle unplanned urban expansion

Pulwama, Mar 08 : The Government has announced plans to establish satellite townships across the Union Territory to manage unplanned urban expansion and address the housing needs of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Legislative Assembly was informed that the Housing & Urban Development Department has identified multiple land parcels across various districts for these satellite townships.
The details were given in response to a starred question tabled by MLA Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Para. According to the government, the Jammu & Kashmir Housing Board has identified several locations in different districts for the development of townships and housing colonies.
The details shared by the minister incharge reveals that a mass housing colony is planned at Padgampura in Pulwama, covering 1.52 hectares.
In Bandipora, an integrated mass housing colony is proposed at Watapora, spanning 10.11 hectares.
In Jammu, flatted accommodations for economically weaker sections (EWS) will be constructed at Bhalwal over an area of 4.30 hectares, while a housing colony is planned at Chak Bhalwal, covering 12.58 hectares.
Further housing development is planned in Chowadhi, Jammu, over 1.49 hectares.
In Kathua, flatted accommodations will be developed in Changran (Phase II) on 4.12 hectares.
In Srinagar, a housing colony will be developed at Chatterhama, spread across 17.88 hectares. Ganderbal will have a housing project at Bakoora, covering 10.82 hectares. In Poonch, a housing colony will be developed at Kanuyian on 0.84 hectares.
In total, the government has identified approximately 65.66 hectares (1,298.28 kanals) of land for these housing colonies and flatted accommodations.
The minister incharge also revealed that the Srinagar Development Authority has earmarked 4,200 kanals of state land along the National Highway Bypass at Bemina (Rakhi Gund Aksha) for housing development. Similarly, the Jammu Development Authority has identified land at Sidhra, Jammu, to expand housing infrastructure.
The minister incharge informed the house that details of beneficiaries will be determined after DPR formulation.
MLA Pulwama, Waheed ur Rehman Parra, raised concerns over the environmental and demographic implications of the proposed satellite townships in Jammu and Kashmir, urging the government to provide clarity on the matter.
He said that many people fear these townships are being developed to alter the demographic composition.
Seeking transparency, he demanded that the government specify for whom these townships are intended, arguing that the term “people of J&K” is too vague.
“We need to know the number of domiciles,” he said.
He also called for a thorough environmental assessment, pointing out that much of the development in J&K since 2019 has led to significant ecological damage.
In response, the minister in charge said that officials and engineers take these concerns into consideration while working on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) .