JK Govt fixes 21-Day deadline for issuance of Building NOCs; Notifies appellate authorities across 18 services

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, Oct 08: The Jammu and Kashmir government has fixed a 21-day deadline for issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for building permissions across 18 services, a move aimed at streamlining construction approvals and checking bureaucratic delays.

Through a notification (S.O 256) accessed Kashmir Convener the General Administration Department (GAD) has invoked the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011, to notify specific timelines, designated officers, and appellate authorities. The order covers the Revenue, Forest, Jal Shakti, Power Development, Housing and Urban Development (H&UD), and Culture departments, among others.

Under the new framework, all listed NOCs pertaining to land verification and building permissions must be processed within a uniform 21-day period.

For land title verification, the Revenue Department has designated the concerned Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) or Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) as the responsible officer. Applicants facing delays can escalate the matter to the Deputy Commissioner, who will act as the appellate authority.

Similarly, for NOCs involving Nazool and Custodian Land, the Assistant Commissioner (Nazool) and Deputy Custodian have been designated as the responsible officers.

To expedite environmental and infrastructure clearances, the Forest Department has designated Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) as the primary authorities for land verification NOCs, with the Conservator of Forests as the first appellate authority. For wildlife clearances, the concerned Wildlife Warden has been tasked with meeting the 21-day deadline.

In urban areas, the H&UD Department has designated Town Planners in Jammu and Kashmir, the Secretary of the Srinagar Development Authority, and the Naib Tehsildar for the Katra Development Authority as designated officers.

Infrastructure-specific NOCs have also been streamlined. The Executive Engineer (Electrical) of the Power Development Department will handle permissions regarding power cables, while the Executive Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department will process NOCs for water pipelines. The Public Works (R&B) Department will handle its own clearances through its Executive Engineers.

The notification establishes a two-tier appellate system to ensure compliance. If a designated officer fails to issue the NOC within 21 days, or if an applicant is dissatisfied with the decision, they can appeal to the First Appellate Authority—typically a Superintending Engineer or Deputy Commissioner.

If the grievance persists, a Second Appellate Authority—often the Chief Engineer or Administrative Secretary of the department—has been notified to hear the appeal.