Tourism Construction Boom: A Double-Edged Sword in Jammu and Kashmir

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has reportedly granted 807 building permissions over the last three years, with the Tourism Development Authorities detecting 578 illegal constructions. This revelation came as part of a state assembly response to PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Among the permissions granted, 544 were for residential houses, 121 for commercial buildings, 26 for hotels, 14 for huts, and two for guesthouses. Meanwhile, 2,613 homestays have been registered and operate under separate oversight. The chief minister stressed the need for regulatory oversight with measures like sealing and demolishing illegal structures.

Official figures show that 578 illegal constructions were identified, notably in areas like Gulmarg and Pahalgam, with many already facing action. A special audit in Pahalgam by the CAG is awaited. GIS-based inventories of authorized constructions aim to ensure future compliance, Abdullah emphasized.