J&K’s new building fees at a glance: This is how much you pay across 78 Urban Local Bodies

Ziraat Times Team Report

SRINAGAR, July 30: In a significant overhaul of the building permission system in Jammu & Kashmir, the Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD) has notified a uniform building permission fee structure across all urban areas of the Union Territory, ending decades of varying charges imposed by different municipal bodies and development authorities.

The notification, issued on July 29, 2026, is one of the most far-reaching urban governance reforms undertaken in recent years and is expected to affect thousands of individuals, businesses, educational institutions, healthcare establishments and hospitality projects seeking construction approvals across Jammu & Kashmir.

For the first time, all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)—comprising Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipal Committees—will follow a common schedule of building permission fees and an integrated online approval mechanism.

The reform comes on the heels of the government’s introduction of the Auto Scrutiny Based Online Building Permission System (OBPS), amendments to the Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL), and the integration of multiple departmental No Objection Certificates (NOCs) into a single digital platform.

According to government officials, the move is aimed at improving ease of doing business, reducing discretion in fee collection, enhancing transparency and bringing uniformity to urban planning and development across Jammu & Kashmir.

New fee structure

Under the new regime, residential buildings will be charged at ₹80 per square metre of proposed built-up area, while commercial, industrial, public and semi-public, educational, healthcare and hospitality projects will attract a fee of ₹270 per square metre.

Mixed-use buildings, which combine residential and commercial uses, have been placed in a separate category and will be charged ₹150 per square metre.

The government has also prescribed a refundable construction debris (malba) security deposit of ₹3,000 for residential buildings and ₹10,000 for all other categories.

Where will the new fees apply?

The notification is applicable to all urban jurisdictions under the Housing & Urban Development Department. This includes:

• 2 Municipal Corporations

• 19 Municipal Councils

• 57 Municipal Committees

• Development Authorities and other urban planning agencies

The two Municipal Corporations covered under the new regime are:

1. Srinagar Municipal Corporation

2. Jammu Municipal Corporation

The 19 Municipal Councils are:

1. Anantnag

2. Baramulla

3. Bandipora

4. Budgam

5. Doda

6. Ganderbal

7. Kathua

8. Kishtwar

9. Kulgam

10. Kupwara

11. Pulwama

12. Poonch

13. Rajouri

14. Ramban

15. Reasi

16. Samba

17. Shopian

18. Sopore

19. Udhampur

The 57 Municipal Committees covered under the notification are:

Achabal, Aishmuqam, Akhnoor, Arnia, Awantipora, Banihal, Bari Brahmana, Basohli, Batote, Beerwah, Bhaderwah, Bijbehara, Billawar, Bishnah, Chadoora, Charar-i-Sharief, Chenani, Dooru-Verinag, Frisal, Gho Manhasan, Gulmarg, Hajin, Handwara, Hiranagar, Jourian, Kalakote, Katra, Khansahib, Khour, Kokernag, Kunzer, Lakhanpur, Langate, Magam, Majalta, Marh, Mattan, Mendhar, Nowshera, Pampore, Pattan, Purmandal, Qazigund, Ramnagar, R.S. Pura, Seer Hamdan, Sonawari, Sumbal, Sunderbani, Surankote, Tangmarg, Thanamandi, Tral, Uri, Vijaypur and Yaripora.

In addition, the new system will apply to projects falling within the jurisdiction of development authorities, including Srinagar Development Authority, Jammu Development Authority and Lakhanpur-Sarthal Development Authority, among others.

Rural areas not covered

Significantly, the new fee structure does not extend to rural Jammu & Kashmir.

Villages falling under Panchayats will continue to be governed by separate building permission mechanisms and fee schedules notified by district administrations and competent authorities from time to time.

This means that a resident constructing a 2,000-square-foot house in Srinagar city, Sopore town, Katra or Pulwama will be required to obtain approval through the H&UDD’s online system and pay the newly prescribed fees.

However, an individual constructing a similar house in a village in Kupwara, Doda, Kulgam or Poonch will continue to be governed by rural building permission provisions applicable in the concerned district.

Urban planning experts say the distinction reflects the different legal and administrative frameworks governing urban and rural Jammu & Kashmir.

Shift to a digital approval ecosystem

The new fee structure is only one component of a broader digital transformation of the building approval process.

Under the Online Building Permission System, applicants can now:

• Submit building plans online.

• Upload CAD drawings for auto-scrutiny.

• Make digital payments.

• Track application status in real time.

• Receive deficiency notices electronically.

• Obtain integrated NOCs from multiple departments.

• Avail self-certification and third-party certification in eligible cases.

The platform is integrated with departments such as Fire & Emergency Services, Revenue, Forest, Jal Shakti, Power Development Department and other agencies wherever required.

Officials say the system is expected to reduce approval timelines substantially and improve accountability by creating a complete digital audit trail.

Impact on citizens

The uniform fee regime is expected to bring predictability and transparency to urban construction activity across Jammu & Kashmir.

For example:

• A 200 sq. metre residential house will attract a building fee of ₹16,000 plus a ₹3,000 refundable security deposit.

• A 300 sq. metre mixed-use building will attract a fee of ₹45,000 plus a ₹10,000 security deposit.

• A 500 sq. metre commercial building will attract a fee of ₹1.35 lakh in addition to the prescribed security deposit.

Until now, applicants often encountered varying rates and procedures depending on the municipal body or development authority in which their property was located.

Government officials maintain that the latest reforms establish, for the first time, a unified urban building permission ecosystem across Jammu & Kashmir—one that combines standardized fees, digital approvals and time-bound service delivery while leaving the rural regulatory framework unchanged.