Govt says approval has been granted considering the strategic importance of certain locations, and ‘reconciling security needs with developmental aspirations’.
The Print
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to notify certain areas in the union territory as “strategic areas”, to facilitate smooth construction for the requirements of armed forces.
The governing body for overlooking construction of facilities for the armed forces is the Cantonment Board, which only had authority over areas falling under cantonments in J&K.
However, the J&K administration has now made amendments to the Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and the J&K Development Act, 1970, thus giving powers to the Cantonment Board and the armed forces to carry out construction activities beyond the cantonments.
“The Administrative Council which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G.C. Murmu, gave its nod to the proposal of amending the Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and the J&K Development Act, 1970, to provide for special dispensation for carrying out construction activities in Strategic Areas,” a statement issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) read.
“The amendments proposed by Housing & Urban Development Department will pave way for notifying certain areas as ‘strategic areas’ in terms of the requirement of armed forces and in such areas, the regulation of construction activity shall be through a special dispensation. The move is aimed at simplifying the procedures and shall facilitate time-bound development of infrastructure of strategic importance,” it added.
The approval, according to the J&K government, has been granted keeping in view the strategic importance of certain locations and reconciling their security needs with developmental aspirations.
On the significance of the move, a senior government official said: “These areas will be defined as per the operational needs of the armed forces. So, essentially, the area of operation of the armed forces will be classified as strategic areas. The strategic areas or areas of operation are yet to be defined.”
With inputs from The Print
(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)