New Urban Building Bye-Laws: GCC sounds alarm, demands its abeyance till expert committee review

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, JANUARY 23 (STC): Amendments to Unified Building Bye-Laws governing development in the two capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu and other Urban areas in the UT have raised ‘serious apprehensions on its veracity and viability’.
The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) J&K in its statement to the media.
The Amendments notified vide S.O. 304 Dt 01–12–2025 envisage far-reaching restructuring of “development controls relating to height, bulk, coverage, and setbacks” in any building activity .
The GCC has submitted a Memorandum to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserting that the amendments were materially different from the draft proposal notified for public comment in July ,2024 . ” The new Rules have suddenly sprung up in a departure from the mandatory consultative sequence required for a subordinate legislation of this magnitude and run foul of the statutory Master Plan without aformal Plan Amendment,” reads the GCC statement.
As per its statement, GCC believes that the new Rules have the effect of substituting executive notification for instruments of statutory planning and set a bad precedent that tends to weaken the integrity of rule-based urban governance. “The problem is further compounded by serious drafting deficiencies within SO 304, including deletion or dilution of critical definitions and indeterminate setback provisions. These ambiguities undermine uniform interpretation and enforcement , thereby pushing the citizens as also the approving authorities to avoidable litigation.”
The Group has questioned the very rationale of new rules which , it fears, may only cause institutionalised urban degradation instead of orderly densification. “Diluted setbacks and increased bulk will compromise light, ventilation, fire and emergency access, and place additional pressure on water supply, sewerage, drainage, and road networks already under severe stress. In cities and towns characterised by narrow streets, vulnerability to floods, seismic risk, and heritage neighbourhoods, regulatory ambiguity poses direct risks to safety , environment quotient , and quality of life”.
Urging the Government to demonstrate due respect for statutory primacy and larger public interest, GCC has made a fervent appeal to place SO 304 in abeyance and order its comprehensive review by a Committee headed by Chief Secretary, with representation from concerned departments and consultation with independent experts and stakeholders.
“We hope such a review would restore procedural legitimacy, reduce legal vulnerability, and ensure that any revision of building controls is aligned with statutory plans and the ecological and infrastructural capacity of cities and towns. Fragility of our capital cities in particular leaves little room for regulatory shortcuts.”

(Straight Talk Communications)