Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jan 24 :
In a significant move, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has extended the deadline for submitting feedback on the proposed amendments to the Unified Building Byelaws (UBBL) – 2021.
According to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD) has extended the date for submitting suggestions and comments on the proposed amendments to the J&K Unified Building Byelaws (UBBL) – 2021 to February 17, 2025.
Earlier, the Department had set January 18, 2025, as the deadline for submission of feedback on these amendments, which evoked widespread criticism from business and environmental groups. These groups accused the government of pushing through the changes in a “hush-hush” manner.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) and the Environmental Policy Group (EPG) had pushed for extending the deadline for feedback on changes in the building byelaws.
The proposed amendments remove all restrictions on the height and area governing the construction of residential and commercial spaces in Jammu & Kashmir. The changes include doing away with the existing curbs over Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or Floor Space Index (FSI). These amendments will remove the FAR for all categories of plots, including residential and commercial complexes, cinemas, mall cum multiplexes, Janjgars, community centres, and banquet halls—(KNO)