JAMMU — The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said the Tourism Development Authorities granted 807 building permissions in the last three years while detecting 578 illegal constructions across the Union Territory.
Replying to a question by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para in the Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is incharge of the Tourism Department, said that 245 permissions were issued in 2023–24, 147 in 2024–25, and 415 in 2025–26.
He further provided a category-wise breakdown, stating that 544 permissions were granted for residential houses, 121 for commercial buildings, 26 for hotels, 14 for huts, and two for guesthouses.
Abdullah also said that registrations for homestays are handled separately by the concerned Directorates of Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
“As of now, 2,613 homestays have been registered with a total bed capacity of 19,328,” he added.
Regarding illegal and unauthorised constructions, the chief minister stated that multiple cases have been identified across key tourist destinations, with action taken including sealing, demolition, and penalties.
According to official data, 578 illegal constructions have been detected in tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Gulmarg, 21 illegal structures were identified, of which 20 were sealed and one demolished. In Pahalgam, 28 illegal constructions were reported, with 13 sealed and action underway in the remaining cases.
Patnitop saw demolition of 15 illegal structures, while several others were stopped at the initial stage, the CM said.
Similarly, four unauthorised constructions were penalised in Verinag, while in Doodhpathri, 147 illegal constructions were identified with notices issued and FIRs registered, he said.
In Sonamarg, five illegal constructions were detected, and 358 notices were served in Bhaderwah.
CM Abdullah also informed that GIS-based inventories of authorised constructions are being maintained in tourist areas, including Sonamarg, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam, where approved Master Plans are operational.
In other areas, geo-coordinates of proposed assets are being collected before granting permissions to ensure monitoring and regulatory oversight, he said.
Regarding audits, the CM said that a special audit of illegal constructions in Pahalgam was conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in 2025, and its report is awaited.
In Sonamarg, audit and vigilance inquiries have been carried out, though findings are yet to be formally shared with the department, Abdullah added. — (PTI)