Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raman Suri today said that Jammu and Kashmir Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) winning prestigious SKOCH National Gold and Silver Awards for its pioneering digital governance initiatives under the leadership of Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kour reflects the commitment of the department towards transparent, technology-driven and citizen-friendly governance but the next priority should be a housing revolution to meet the growing demand for planned and affordable housing across Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to the award-winning initiatives the Automated Building Permission System (ABPS) integrated with Auto DCR and GIS-based land use verification, and the J&K Gati Shakti GIS Asset Mapping System Suri said these reforms have transformed the functioning of the department by making approvals faster, ensuring greater transparency and improving urban planning but we still need better housing colonies which are self-sustainable to meet growing housing needs of people.
He said that Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kour and her team deserve credit for introducing reforms that have earned national recognition for Jammu and Kashmir adding that Jammu and Srinagar continue to witness a steady influx of people from hilly and remote areas who migrate in search of better education, employment, healthcare and business opportunities creating an acute shortage of affordable housing, resulting in the mushrooming of unplanned and unauthorized colonies that lack proper civic infrastructure and create long-term urban management challenges.
The BJP leader, however, maintained that the next major challenge before the government should be to address the growing housing crisis in the Union Territory. "There is an urgent need to shift from piecemeal development to planned urban expansion. The government should actively encourage reputed private developers to build modern housing colonies and apartment complexes so that people have access to affordable and well-planned residential spaces. Public-private partnership is the need of the hour if we want to meet future housing demands," he said.
Suri observed that with land availability shrinking rapidly, particularly in urban areas, the traditional model of horizontal expansion is no longer sustainable. "We cannot continue spreading our cities endlessly when land itself is becoming scarce. The future lies in vertical development. Well-planned multi-storey residential projects with adequate civic amenities, green spaces, parking facilities and public utilities can accommodate more families while preserving valuable land resources," he added.
Calling for comprehensive urban reforms, Suri urged the government to formulate a policy for redevelopment of old residential colonies that have outlived their planning capacity. Redevelopment, he said, would not only improve infrastructure but also transform these areas into self-sufficient neighbourhoods equipped with modern amenities, efficient drainage systems, wider roads and better public facilities.
Expressing concern over the indiscriminate conversion of residential colonies into commercial hubs, Suri said weak enforcement of land-use regulations has disturbed the very purpose for which many colonies were established. "Once a residential colony begins turning commercial without proper planning, traffic congestion, parking shortages, pollution and civic problems become inevitable. Such violations must not be allowed to continue. The government should issue stringent guidelines while approving new colonies and ensure that no one is permitted to alter the approved land use under any circumstances," he asserted.
"The next benchmark should be planned urbanisation. Alongside digital reforms, we must now focus on creating organized, sustainable and future-ready cities that can comfortably accommodate our growing population while preserving quality of life. Housing is not merely about constructing buildings; it is about building communities, ensuring dignity and planning for generations to come," he said.
