Govt initiates process for setting up Metropolitan Development Authorities

JAMMU: The State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor, Satya Pal Malik has approved the landmark Jammu and Kashmir Metropolitan Regional Development Authorities Bill-2018 to promote and regulate planned growth and development of New Srinagar and New Jammu cities.

SAC observed that the cities of Jammu and Srinagar have witnessed rapid expansion over the past few decades, thereby, posing huge challenges of urbanization, needing augmentation of resources relating to urban infrastructure. Need has been also felt for futuristic perspective planning with the possibility of developing new townships, metros, etc. Despite efforts, the infrastructure and the nature of urban development have not been able to keep pace with these rapid developments.

The Legislation approved by SAC aims to set up an integrative institutional framework in the form of a Metropolitan Regional Development Authorities (MRDAs) for the twin capital cities of the State.

The Bill provides for establishment of Metropolitan Regional Development Authorities (MRDAs) for Jammu and Srinagar which will coordinate and supervise the proper, orderly and rapid development of the areas in these regions and executing plans, projects and schemes for such development and enter into public-private partnerships.

The MRDAs shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power, to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both moveable and immoveable.

The functioning of the new Metropolitan Authorities will not in any manner overlap with the Municipal and local authorities, as both will operate in different functional domains in terms of scale. While the MRDA will create and supplement basic infrastructure and city level services, the user-end provision of water, sewerage, sanitation, street lighting etc shall continue to be performed by these local authorities as hitherto before.