J&K Constitutes High-Level Panels to Prepare New Tourism Development Master Plans

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar, July 3: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has constituted two committees to oversee the formulation, supervision, monitoring and vetting of Master Plans for Tourism Development Authorities across the Union Territory, with the objective of ensuring planned, sustainable and legally compliant tourism infrastructure development.

According to Government Order No. 1152-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated July 1, 2026, issued by the General Administration Department, the committees will be responsible for guiding the preparation and approval of master plans for various Tourism Development Authorities (TDAs) across J&K.

The first committee, designated as the High-Level Vetting Committee, will be chaired by the Administrative Secretary, Tourism Department. Its members include the Administrative Secretaries of the Housing & Urban Development, Forest, Ecology & Environment, Revenue, and Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Departments, along with the Chief Town Planner (Jammu/Kashmir). The Chief Executive Officer of the concerned Tourism Development Authority will serve as the Member Secretary.

The committee has been tasked with examining, reviewing and vetting draft master plans before their submission for approval, ensuring alignment with government policies, statutory requirements and judicial directions, and forwarding the finalized plans to the Government for approval.

The Government has also constituted a Steering and Implementation Committee to supervise and coordinate the preparation and revision of master plans under the first phase of the exercise.

The committee will function under the chairmanship of the Special Secretary to the Government, Tourism Department, and includes the Director Finance/Financial Advisor, Additional Secretary, Chief Executive Officer of the concerned Tourism Development Authority, Chief Town Planner or authorized representative, Deputy Director Planning, Under Secretary to Government, and Assistant Law Officer of the Tourism Department.

The Steering and Implementation Committee will oversee master plans across four clusters of Tourism Development Authorities.

Cluster A comprises the Patnitop Development Authority and Bhaderwah Development Authority.

Cluster B includes the Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg Development Authorities.

Cluster C covers the Doodpathri and Kokernag Development Authorities.

Cluster D consists of the Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar Development Authorities.

The committee has been assigned responsibility for providing strategic direction, ensuring adoption of standardized planning frameworks, facilitating the engagement of consultancy agencies where required, reviewing draft master plans before forwarding them for vetting, monitoring implementation timelines, resolving inter-departmental and land-related issues, and integrating principles of sustainable tourism, environmental safeguards, disaster resilience and infrastructure planning into the master plans.

The order further provides that both committees will meet as and when required and may co-opt officers, consultants or technical experts from any department or agency as special invitees for the effective discharge of their functions.