Srinagar Development Authority (S.D.A)

Achievements

Srinagar Development Authority was created with main objectives to bring a positive change in Srinagar city as per the prospective and spatial plans. The first and foremost responsibility of Srinagar Dev. Authority is to prepare and implement “master Plan” for the city of Srinagar. SDA prepared first master plan in the year 1971 and 2nd in the year 2000. 2nd Master Plan was for a period of 20 years, however it was reviewed mid way and new Master Plan 2015-2035 stands approved now. The Authority looks after the issuance of building permissions and NOCs as per the Srinagar Master Plan. The BOCA (Building Operation Controlling Authority) of SDA is functional and issues online building permissions and NOCs without any delay. The SDA is presently in the process of making zonal plans with the help of GIS software.

Urban Transport

The SDA has focused attention on Urban transportation. The traffic pressure on roads has made transport services irritating for the general public, not only the passengers are facing the heat of un-comfortable transport service also the slow movement of goods in the city is also hampering the economic growth. To improve passenger service as well as goods movement, the SDA has already taken up the implementation of Master Plan in traffic and tansport sector. Following projects have been implemented.

1. SDA has developed Regional Bus Stand at panthachowk for south bound traffic consisting of terminal building, passenger waithing sheds, offices and other related facilities over a land measuring approximately 250 kanals.
2. SDA has also developed Sumo/Taxi Stand at various places like; Panthachowk, Mini Bus Stand Bemina, Soura,Harwan Parimpora and Batamaloo.
3. To ease out the pressure of goods laden trucks on the roads of CBD and surrounding areas, Srinagar Development Authority earmarked the land approximately 170 kanals in parimpora adjacent to Fruit Mandi. All the goods and Forwarding Agencies in the Srinagar City have been shifted to the said place, thus removing much of the inconvenience to the General Public. The area is being developed by way of drains, roads and other facilities.
4. With the tremendous increase in the traffic and also due to rise in the population of small cars, the parking in the city centres has now become a greater challenge to the general commuters and traffic management department. To provide parking facilities in the city particularly in the business and economic hubs of Budshahchowk, Lalchowk and its surrounding areas, the SDA has developed surface parking places at Sherwani Road in between SBI and Ahdoos Hotel, Poloview, Residency Road, Nehru Park, Baka Masjid Batamaloo and Meerakh Shah parking area.
5. A mechanized multilevel parking for 286 cars has been developed at old KMD which is operational. In addition to this two number ramp type multilevel parkings one at old SMG having a capacity of 467 cars and 130 two wheelers is operational.Other multi-level parking at Sheikhbagh having a capacity of 430 cars and 50 two-wheelers has been developed under AMRUT mission and is operational.
6. SDA has developed a cycle track with jogging track in Bemina under AMRUT mission having a length of 1.67 km.

Housing Colonies

• With the day to day increase in population and migration of rural population to Urban Areas particularly Srinagar City has been put to lot of pressure. To de-congest the populated areas of Srinagar City and also to ease the pressure of inflow of rural migration, SDA has developed Housing Colonies for ‘High Income Group’ (HIG), Middle Income Group(MIG), LIG,EWS at Bemina, Srinagar.SDA has also developed Housing Colonies at Noorbagh and Sumerbugh for rehabilitation of dislocated families of River Jehlum. SDA has also ventured in developing flats/appartments and has constructed Gulposh Apartments consisting of 32 flats at Bemina in phase-Ist and 60 flats in Phase-2nd, which stand allotted.Keeping in tune with the fast-changing urban landscape of Srinagar and mounting stress on its scarce land resources, SDA has embarked upon the ambitious initiative of exploring trans-formative and sustainable solution for affordable housing in the city by pioneering the concept of vertical colonies with integrated community facilities.
• SDA strives to explore in this new initiative is to make people realize the dream of owning a secure, compact and affordable home in Srinagar and facilitate them to relocate with fast-changing housing needs without occupying much land resources as the traditional houses do. Given the mounting demand for flat-type housing in Srinagar and to carry forward the pioneering concept of constructing integrated vertical housing colonies, SDA has earmarked around 89 kanals of land in the existing Mini Housing Colony, opposite Hajj House Bemina, for construction of more than 600 residential flats under the banner of Shehjar Apartments for which the work for five blocks (2 2BHK and 3 3BHK) has been completed and stand allotted in the first phase. Each tower consists of 28 flats, with stilt parking, 2 lifts and 2 stair cases. The flatsl have gated entry from Bemina by-pass .
• A Dream Project of “Satellite Township” at Rakh Gund Aksha shall be SDA’s star project.4200 kanals of land stands already transferred to SDA by the Government The project has been launched on 14th December 2022.. The plots of three different sizes stand allotted to general public and the project is expected to take off very soon.

Developmental of Institutional Areas

• Certain offices within main city were also contributing to congestion and traffic jamming. The SDA in order to ease pressure on the city roads proposed and developed office complexes outside congested areas. To start with, SDA constructed its own office building outside city at Bemina and
• Board of School Education , office building for Directorate of Economics and Statistics and Ecology and Environment have been constructed by SDA at Bemina,Srinagar. The Habitat centre Complex at Bemina has been constructed by SDA and commissioned to accommodate the offices of Town Planning Organization(TPO), Architect Organization(AO), Urban Development Agency, Kashmir (UDAK), Housing Board and Urban Local Bodies.

Commercial Activity

• The SDA is a self financing organization and has to generate its own revenue and resources. The already constructed commercial assets such as shops and halls are giving some revenue in the shape of rent etc. To augment its revenue the SDA constructed commercial complex at M.A Road, as “Sangarmaal City centre". The Ist phase of the prestigious commercial complex has been completed. Most of the shops have been put to allotted and presently the Mall is functional. The complex does not only generate revenue for SDA but also synthesis cultural and economic integration. Craft Bazar being part of the complex symbolizes the historical tradition of Kashmiri Art and Craft. The “Sangarmaal” is also unique and first experience of modern marketing in the valley.
• SDA has also constructed commercial complexes at various places and alotted the shops/commercial spaces to general public through auction. Commercial complexes viz; Iqbal Shopping Complexes at old Charisharief Adda, Jehlum Plaza/ Doodganga Shopping Complex, double storeyed shopline at Batamaloo, Yemberzal Mall at Court Road, Srinagar are few of the commercial assets of SDA that are functional at present. Recently a three storeyed shopline has been completed at Bemina opposite SKIMS Hospital Bemina, Srinagar. The shops/spaces have been auctioned/alloted to the general public.

Community Halls

• SDA feels that apart from commercial and developmental activity, it has social commitment as well. Many of the families of Srinagar city are not in a position to accommodate their ceremonies / family functions in their homes due to the dearth of space, Lower & Middle Income Groups suffer more on this count. To mitigate this problem, SDA proposed to construct Community Halls. Three Community Halls have been constructed at Rajuri Kadal , Bemina and Gonikhan.The same are being used by general public for their family functions. SDA has identified two more sites at Bagiyas chattabal and Bemina for construction of community facilitation centre, work on these is in progress.These shall have provision for two halls, Guest Rooms, Waza Shed small scientific slaughter room and parking facility. Provision for water supply/sanitation and electrification are in built in the projects.Apart from that SDA has constructed a Guest House near its office Complex at Bemina.