Suhail Rather
Bandipora : Illegal construction is causing chaos in Bandipora town, as shopping complexes and malls are being built without adhering to town planning rules, causing traffic congestion and violating the master plan drafted by the former Prime Minister of J&K state, Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad, in 1963.
Despite the efforts of the district administration to address the urban issues, such as the exponential growth of private cars, the shrinking roads, and traffic mess, they have failed to prevent the haphazard construction.
Residents are questioning the efficiency of the local authorities, who have allowed these constructions to take place right under their noses.
The shopping complexes, built without parking spaces, have become a hindrance to the smooth flow of traffic, causing frequent traffic jams and inconvenience to the public.
Local residents as per The Web Story suspect that the permission holders might have bribed officials, who have allowed them to bend the building permission rules and evade accountability.
They claim that the Municipal Council has granted permission for construction of commercial complexes in residential areas, in violation of the rules. Despite repeated objections, no action has been taken.
The district administration is aware of the issue and has promised to take action. A senior official has announced that the heads will roll and that no one will be spared.
The Lieutenant Governor Administration has been appealed to constitute a high-level committee to find out who allowed this illegal construction and to fix responsibility.
Recently, the District Development Commissioner of Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad, held a meeting of officers, stakeholders, public representatives, and senior citizens to prepare a GIS-based master plan for Bandipora town.
He emphasized the importance of geographical information system technology for the balanced development of the town and asked officers to work in close coordination with the inhabitants of the town.
