HC raps SMC over ‘blind eye’ to illegal constructions in Srinagar

Srinagar, Aug 7: In a stern indictment of the functioning of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has observed that illegal constructions have become a growing menace in Srinagar largely because civic authorities routinely fail to enforce building laws, compelling aggrieved residents to seek judicial intervention.
Making strong observations while hearing a petition related to an alleged building violation in Khanyar, the Court remarked that law-abiding citizens are repeatedly forced to approach the judiciary as municipal authorities often turn a “blind eye”, either by design or default, allowing unauthorized constructions to reach completion before any action is initiated.
The Court noted that such official inaction not only encourages violations but also leaves affected residents with no option except prolonged litigation, describing the situation as reflective of a deeper institutional failure in enforcing building regulations.
Expressing concern over the recurring nature of such violations, the Court observed that illegal constructions have assumed alarming proportions in Srinagar and questioned the effectiveness of the existing regulatory mechanism.
The Court also directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to collect records relating to No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued by various government departments for the building under scrutiny, indicating the need to examine how statutory clearances were processed.
In addition, the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, has been directed to ensure that the building is not put to commercial use and to submit a compliance report before the next date of hearing.
The observations are being viewed as one of the strongest judicial censures of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation in recent times, raising serious questions over the civic body’s enforcement of building laws and its handling of unauthorized constructions in the city. [KNT]