Sonamarg Master Plan preparations await boundary notification: CTO tells HC

Srinagar, Dec 10: The government has informed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that Master Plan preparation for Sonamarg would commence after the extended local area is notified by the Tourism Department after consultation with various stakeholders.

Hearing a suo moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the preservation of the environs of Sonmarg, the court had in an earlier hearing sought details regarding the Sonamarg Master Plan.

In an affidavit filed before the court in compliance with its directions with regard to steps initiated for revising or drafting the new Master Plan and the timeline for its finalisation, the Chief Town Planner (CTP) Kashmir, Belkies Jeelani submitted that the matter regarding the preparation and revision of the Master Plan for Sonamarg was taken up with Commissioner Secretary Tourism Department vide a communication dated November 16, 2024.

“The Tourism Department will notify the extended area, if any, of Sonamarg Development Authority in the first instance and thereafter the Town Planning Organisation will start the preparation of the Master Plan for Sonamarg,” the affidavit said.

In the affidavit, the officer also gave the procedure and the timelines for the formulation of the GIS-based Master Plan Sonamarg 2025-2045, stating that the Master Plan preparation will commence after the extended local area is notified by the Tourism Department after consultation with various stakeholders.

The officer contended that the KML file delineating the tentative local area proposed to be notified has already been conveyed to the Tourism Department for comments and vetting and forwarding of KML files of all Khasra numbers of areas proposed and existing in the local area of SDA.

She said that the Town Planning Organisation would provide the technical guidance for the preparation of the Sonamarg Master Plan.

“The RFP will be prepared taking feedback from various stakeholders like the Forest Department, Wildlife Department being in the vicinity of forest and wildlife areas and Revenue Department and Remote Sensing Department for inviting technical and financial bids from consultants for preparation of the Master Plan on outsource basis,” the officer said.

She said that once the local area is notified and funds are made available through the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), technical and financial bids would be invited from reputed consultants having expertise in the preparation of such Master Plans as per the requirements listed in the RFP.

“The project will be awarded to the consultants based on the QCBS method,” the officer said. “The preparation of Draft Master Plan Sonamarg 2025-2045 will be prepared using the latest technologies and high-resolution imageries,” the affidavit said.

It said that the Draft Master Plan would be put in the public domain by the Tourism Department for a period of 60 days to seek objections or suggestions from various stakeholders and the people as per the provisions prescribed in J&K Development Act, 1970.

“The objections and suggestions received will be examined by the board constituted by the government,” the affidavit said.

It said that the final Master Plan would be framed after incorporating the recommendations of the committee and submitted to the government for its approval.

So far, as a timeline is concerned, the officer in the affidavit said that it was for the Tourism Department to finalise the boundaries and thereafter the Town Planning Organisation, Kashmir, would provide the technical support.

“For that, it will take at least 1 year for its completion subject to stages being completed within their respective timelines,” the officer said.