Shopian to get new Master Plan after years of development freeze
Shopian, Nov 18: After years of uncertainty that left residents unable to build or expand properties, Shopian town is finally set to receive a new Master Plan, with the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) now conducting surveys and collecting data for the draft document.
The development comes as relief to a town that has seen construction activities virtually frozen due to the absence of an updated, functional Master Plan.
Suhail Malik, Executive Officer of Municipal Council Shopian, confirmed that the Housing and Urban Development Department has assigned SPA the task of preparing the plan. "We are hopeful this long-pending exercise will soon be completed, paving the way for regulated development," he told Greater Kashmir.
Teams are currently gathering information from various departments whilst conducting field surveys across the town.
The initiative follows years of deadlock caused by the previous Draft Master Plan 2023, prepared by the Town Planning Organisation (TPO) of Srinagar. That plan—based on surveys conducted in 2012–13—drew widespread criticism for being outdated and for being drafted without adequate consultation with local stakeholders.
In August last year, civil society members staged a peaceful protest outside the Town Hall, demanding the government scrap the obsolete draft. Residents complained that the plan had paralysed nearly all construction activity, preventing them from renovating, expanding, or constructing homes and commercial establishments. The uncertainty over land-use zoning had also deterred investment and stifled the town's economic growth.
"The lack of a functional Master Plan has been hindering development for years," said Javed Ahmad, a resident. "We want a plan that protects the town's character but also allows growth."
He expressed hope that the new plan would be framed through proper consultations and would reflect Shopian's current demographic and commercial needs.
Officials said the new draft would be made public for objections and suggestions before final approval, allowing residents to participate in shaping the town's development roadmap.
