Bilal Habib
SRINAGAR, July 29: The JKHUDD Registered Technical Persons (RTPs) have welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s decision to introduce a uniform building permission fee across all Urban Local Bodies and Municipal Corporations, describing it as a significant reform that will promote transparency, fairness and equal treatment for citizens across the Union Territory.
Welcoming the decision, Raja Ishfaq Lateef said the introduction of the Online Building Permission System (OBPS) had already transformed the building permission process by enhancing transparency, accountability and efficiency.
He, however, said that after the implementation of the OBPS, several Municipal Committees and Municipal Councils had started levying additional charges over and above the prescribed building permission fee, often citing revenue generation as the reason. According to him, the varying fee structures created disparities and imposed an unnecessary financial burden on people seeking building permissions.
“The Government’s decision to introduce a uniform building permission fee has put an end to these inconsistencies. It is a pro-people initiative that will benefit every citizen irrespective of economic status. Whether an applicant is rich or poor, everyone will now be treated equally under a standardised fee structure,” he said.
Lateef appreciated Commissioner/Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur, for taking what he described as a progressive step in the larger public interest. He said the decision reflects the Government’s commitment to transparent governance, ease of doing business and affordable public services.
He expressed hope that the Government would continue introducing reforms to strengthen the urban planning and building permission system in Jammu and Kashmir, making it more efficient, transparent and citizen-centric.
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