BARAMULLA: Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), Mandeep Kour, on Monday chaired a stakeholders’ consultation meeting on the draft GIS-based Master Plans for Baramulla, Sopore and Pattan being prepared under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0.
The meeting, held at Dak Bungalow Baramulla, was attended by legislators from Baramulla, Sopore, Pattan and Wagoora-Kreeri, senior government officials, representatives of various organisations and members of civil society.
Officials presented the draft master plans, outlining proposed land-use patterns, infrastructure requirements, development priorities and urban planning interventions aimed at guiding the future growth of the three towns.
During the discussions, MLA Baramulla Javid Hassan Beigh highlighted the limited availability of government land within Baramulla town and suggested identifying suitable peripheral locations for shifting offices and projects that do not require regular public access.
MLA Sopore Irshad Rasool Kar proposed inclusion of a Mini Secretariat in Sopore to address the issue of government offices functioning from scattered locations.
MLA Wagoora-Kreeri Irfan Hafeez Lone stressed that future development should balance urban expansion with the protection of agricultural and horticultural land, while MLA Pattan Javaid Reyaz Bedar called for road widening in Pattan town, establishment of a truck terminal and better utilisation of available government land.
Other stakeholders also raised issues related to land use, traffic management, connectivity, public amenities and institutional infrastructure.
Addressing the meeting, Kour said the master plans would serve as long-term planning documents for the three towns and stressed the importance of public participation in the planning process. She urged stakeholders to study the draft plans and submit suggestions within the stipulated timeframe.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla S.F. Hamid asked public representatives, departments and civil society members to submit their comments and objections within 21 days for consideration before the plans are finalised.
Later, the Commissioner Secretary, accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner, inspected several sites in Baramulla, including Baramulla Jetty and Janbazpora, to review ongoing and proposed development works.
