SRINAGAR: Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) has decided to seek wide-ranging inputs from technical experts and stake-holders on Master Plan 2012-2032, currently under formulation, before submitting it to the Government for approval.
We have decided to take all the stake-holders on board including technical experts in related fields to make the Master Plan 2012-2032 as perfect and futuristic as possible, Vice-Chairman SDA, Mr Shafaat Noor Barlas said. He said the Minister for Urban Development & Urban Local Bodies, Mr Nawang Rigzin Jora, who is also the Chairman of SDA has also given clear-cut instructions that there should be exhaustive consultations with the stake-holders in run up to the formulation of the Master Plan.
As a part of this initiative, SDA on Friday invited a team from INTACH J&K Chapter led by its Convener to go through the draft Land Use Plan.
The Town Planning wing of SDA gave a detailed presentation on the contours of the Master Plan 2012-2032 to the INTACH team in presence of VC SDA.
While appreciating the overall exercise of Master Plan formulation, the INTACH team put forth certain suggestions regarding conservation of the heritage character of Srinagar city in tune with the UN Convention on World Heritage and UNESCO guidelines. They also suggested various measures for earmarking specific areas in the Srinagar city for niche activities like tourism infrastructure. Mr Beg also suggested earmarking adequate spaces in the City for pedestrian malls and revival of water transport.
Pertinently, the Technical Committee on Srinagar Master Plan comprising Vice-Chairman SDA, Vice-Chairman Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), Commissioner SMC, Chief Engineer R&B Kashmir, Chief Town Planner Kashmir and Chief Architect J&K has already taken several reviews of the Master Plan and the feasible suggestions put forth by the panel have been incorporated in the draft Land Use Plan.
After incorporating the suggestions from the technical experts in the Master Plan and submitting it for final review to the Honble Minister for Urban Development, the document would be put in the public domain to seek suggestions from the people on the Land Use plan for proposed Greater Srinagar Metropolitan Area, VC SDA said and added that for the first time the Srinagar Master Plan would include the Zonal Plans, wherein the land use plan would be enumerated at the micro-level.
The midterm review of the Srinagar Master Plan 2000-2021 was undertaken by SDA in February 2012 to suggest ways and means to make the document more realistic and implementable in consonance with the ground realities besides taking care of inaccuracies in the existing Mater Plan.
Pertinently, SDA Board in a landmark decision last month approved extension of Greater Srinagar local area from the existing 417 kms to 757 kms.
As per the new Master Plan, the boundaries of Greater Srinagar would encompass Dara-Fakri and Dachigam National Park on Northeast, Zabarwan hills from Khunmoh towards Khrew on the East, Kakapora Railway Station on Southeast, Budgam local area upto Gallandar on South, Mazhama Railway station and road towards Gulmarg on the Southwest and Buran, Ganepur in Pattan towards the West.
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