Jammu, Feb 13: The Jammu and Kashmir government has revealed a significant shortage of technical manpower in Kashmir’s Town Planning Organisation (TPO), with only three town planners responsible for supporting 40 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
In a written response during the ongoing budget session, the Chief Minister who also oversees the Housing and Urban Development Department stated that the current planner to ULB ratio stands at 1:12, highlighting the strain on urban planning resources.
Officials noted that the region comprises 10 Municipal Councils and 30 Municipal Committees, all of which depend on the limited workforce for planning support.
Clarifying regulatory requirements, the government said developmental works must comply with Section 203 of the Municipal Act, 2000, and the J&K Unified Building Bye-laws, 2021. These provisions prohibit construction or structural alterations without prior municipal approval and require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from relevant departments, including the Town Planning Organisation.
The administration also confirmed that it does not plan to station a dedicated architect or engineer in every local body. However, the TPO has been restructured to establish a district-level cadre aimed at strengthening the preparation and execution of master plans across towns.
The government did not specify any deadline for filling existing vacancies or expanding the current workforce, leaving concerns about urban planning capacity unresolved.