Haphazard expansion, chaotic living conditions and unauthorised colonies have scarred Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley. The lack of planned government housing colonies is the factor responsible for haphazard development, leading to all-round chaos. Lack of government initiative in housing has led to unplanned expansion, where people buy land privately and construct their houses, with scant regard for proper connecting roads, drainage, electricity and water supply. Even this time when the number of government housing colonies set up till date are far less than required the government does not bother to explore the possibilities of constructing new housing colonies in Srinagar and major town of Kashmir valley. The government does not even bother to create housing colonies under the public private partnership (PPP) mode. Since public private partnership
PPP nowadays is essential to achieve targeted investment in infrastructure, the government in the first instance has to set rules and policies for the construction of housing colonies under the public private partnership mode. Though there are many realtors who have constructed multi-storey flats in Srinagar city but the permissible height is 3o meters and as such violations can’t be detected in absent of rules and policies for the construction of housing colonies. Way-out henceforth lies in a clearly defined housing policy and deft political handling of the urban development challenge for securing the future of coming generations in urban Kashmir. An urban policy with an impetus on decentralization through decentralised planning is mandatory for uniform and balanced development of urban centres of Kashmir. Impetus must be provided to generate new growth centres and the existing ones must be revived. Proper investments in developmental sectors like infrastructure, education, occupation is needed, which will relieve existing pressure on Srinagar city and same holds good for the developing the urban infrastructure of the major towns of Kashmir valley.
Way-out henceforth lies in a clearly defined housing policy and deft political handling of the urban development challenge for securing the future of coming generations in urban Kashmir.
Appropriate measures for improvements in the physical infrastructure, education and healthcare sector to address the pressing issues of urban development in Kashmir equally deserve the attention of the housing planner and administrator heading urban development institutions in both Srinagar city and towns . The biggest challenge before the government is the lack of resources for capital expenditure on environmental protection and beautification of Srinagar city and major towns of Kashmir valley. So for the government has not taken any initiative for generation the resources for the capital expenditure on the environmental protection and beautification of Kashmir’s urban centers including Srinagar city. Since the focus has to be on mobilization of economic resources in the state, so thrust areas for the generation of economic resources have to be identified. So by all probabilities there is a need for revitalization of the economic efficiency including urban renewal and re-development, upgradation of infrastructure, poverty reduction, employment creation, promotion of trade and related developmental activities.
