JAMMU, DECEMBER 19: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level meeting today to evaluate the progress of critical housing and urban development initiatives, including the Urban Challenge Fund, the Auto Development Control Regulation (Auto DCR) system, and the environmental restoration of Dal and Nigeen lakes. During the session, the Chief Secretary emphasized the strategic importance of the Urban Challenge Fund, directing departments to aggressively target at least 1% of the ₹1 lakh crore allocated by the Government of India. To ensure the uninterrupted execution of these projects, he advised supplementing them with additional funding from the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). Commissioner Secretary H&UDD, Mandeep Kaur, noted that identified projects include residential housing, parking infrastructure, and advanced wastewater management systems designed to make J&K’s urban centers more resilient and future-ready.
The meeting also focused on enhancing transparency through the Auto DCR system, which automates the scrutiny of building plans via CAD drawings to eliminate manual intervention. Chief Secretary Dulloo instructed the integration of this platform with the RERA portal to ensure total statutory compliance. Furthermore, he directed the Rural Development Department (RDD) to adopt a similar online building permission system for rural areas. RDD Secretary Aijaz Asad confirmed that rural building bye-laws are in their final stages, paving the way for a single-window system. Regarding environmental efforts, Vice Chairman of LCMA, Manzoor Ahmad Qadri, briefed the chair on the rejuvenation of Dal and Nigeen lakes. Key highlights include the biomethanation of lake waste, the development of theme parks, and the completion of sewerage networks in eco-hamlets under the PMDP. The Chief Secretary concluded by stressing that sustainable planning and coordinated efforts are vital to balancing urban growth with environmental preservation across Jammu and Kashmir.
