Jammu, March 10 The Jammu and Kashmir government amended the unified building bylaws on Tuesday and launched a portal for processing building permits to promote ease of doing business and digitize urban governance.
The amendments were notified under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970, and the J&K Municipal Act, 2000, an official spokesman said.
The government also introduced a portal for auto-scrutiny-based building permits and change in land use (CLU), using automated development control regulations technology.
The portal will enable a fully digital and rule-based system for processing building permits across the Union Territory, he said.
It integrates CLU with building permits and is expected to reduce processing time from the earlier 60–90 days to around 30 days, the spokesman said.
Under the system, building plans submitted online are automatically scrutinized against the provisions of the unified building bylaws, master plans, zonal plans, and other development controls.
"The software generates instant compliance reports highlighting any deviations, and also provides for self-certification and auto-approval for low-risk buildings, allowing registered architects and engineers to certify compliance with building norms," he said.
The portal also offers online fee calculation, digital payment, real-time tracking of applications, downloadable approvals, and a digital record repository, he added.
He said that the reforms aim to strengthen transparency across all Urban Local Bodies and Development Authorities.
Under the revised rules, land-use regulations have been simplified by merging multiple sub-categories into four broad primary uses, he said. "Affordable group housing has also been permitted in industrial zones to promote inclusive land utilization."
The spokesman said that setback norms have been rationalized while the Commercial Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has been enhanced up to 400, subject to prescribed conditions, to increase the development potential.
"The minimum Right of Way requirement for certain commercial and industrial activities has also been reduced from 12 metres to six metres to facilitate economic growth, particularly in smaller urban areas," he added.
The amendments also introduce provisions for energy efficiency and environmental compliance, including norms under the Eco Niwas Samhita, with incentives such as additional FAR and fast-track approvals, he added.
He said that the reforms mark a shift towards transparent, technology-driven, and compliance-oriented urban governance aimed at ensuring planned and sustainable development across Jammu and Kashmir.