Jammu and Kashmir‘s urban centers grapple with enduring infrastructural challenges, prompting renewed calls for comprehensive urban reforms. This comes as a new framework on urban governance by NITI Aayog has surfaced, highlighting the systemic issues plaguing cities like Jammu and Srinagar.
Historical oversights continue to haunt urban planning in the region. In the 19th century, British engineers constructed embankments along the Jhelum River to safeguard Srinagar’s expanding city center. Sir Walter Lawrence, the Settlement Commissioner at the time, cautioned that restricting the river’s natural flow would eventually lead to repercussions. His concerns were validated in September 2014 when the Jhelum River caused devastating floods in Srinagar, marking the worst such event in recent memory. Similarly, in August 2025, Jammu experienced a comparable situation with the Tawi River, where the Riverfront Development Project had reclaimed approximately 23 hectares of riverbed, narrowing the river’s channel through the city. The river subsequently reclaimed the taken land, underscoring a recurring pattern of urban development missteps. Sources indicate to TahirRihat.com that these incidents reflect a broader failure in urban governance, where lessons from the past are not adequately heeded.
The NITI Aayog report, titled “Moving Towards Effective City Government: A Framework for Million-Plus Cities,” was released on April 25, 2026, by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and its findings carry significant relevance for J&K. The report emphasizes a long-standing issue in India‘s urban governance: the presence of numerous agencies without a unified authority accountable to citizens for all aspects of urban life. This diagnosis, according to the report, is particularly relevant to Jammu and Srinagar due to their unique historical context.
Srinagar established its municipality in 1886 during Dogra rule, with Jammu following suit under the First Municipal Act. Over the past century, both municipal bodies have faced frequent supersessions, suspensions, and resource deprivations, hindering their ability to function effectively. Records from the Jammu Municipal Corporation reveal that elections have been conducted only five times since India’s independence: in 1956, 1972, 1980, 2005, and 2018. The government dissolved the elected council in 1960, 1975, and 1983, reflecting a historical pattern of limited urban self-governance in J&K. This situation was further compounded by political centralization and security concerns during the insurgency years in Srinagar, which disrupted normal civic life for an extended period.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment of 1992 mandated the devolution of powers to urban local bodies. However, prior to August 2019, its mandatory provisions did not extend to J&K under Article 370. Following the region’s reorganization as a Union Territory, steps have been taken to address this gap, with roads, schools, and health sub-centers being transferred to the two Municipal Corporations. A high-level devolution committee was also established in February 2025. Nevertheless, the NITI Aayog report advocates for more profound structural changes in urban governance, focusing on accountability.
The consequences of this lack of accountability are evident in the deteriorating condition of Dal Lake. A CAG report from April 2026 revealed that the lake’s open water area diminished from 15.40 to 12.91 square kilometers between 2007 and 2020, marking a contraction of over ten percent in thirteen years, despite an investment of Rs 45 crore in sewage treatment plants. While the plants were constructed, the necessary sewer networks to connect households and houseboats were not implemented. The Lakes Conservation and Management Authority regulates land use but lacks coordination with the Municipal Corporation on solid waste management. The result is a diminishing lake that has been extensively studied, audited, litigated, and funded for decades, yet continues to shrink due to the absence of clear leadership and coordinated action.
Jammu faces similar challenges across diverse geographical areas. The Jammu Development Authority is responsible for preparing the Master Plan, while the Municipal Corporation is tasked with its enforcement. The Irrigation and Flood Control Department manages the river, and Jammu Smart City Limited oversees flagship projects. During the Tawi River floods in August 2025, encroachments on nallah protection walls were identified as a factor reducing drainage capacity. These structures existed in violation of the Master Plan’s construction restrictions, highlighting a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents of lawbreaking. The city lacks a governing body capable of consistently enforcing its own regulations.
The Smart City Mission delivered infrastructure improvements in both cities through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that operated outside the municipal corporations. These SPVs reported to their boards, bypassing elected ward councillors. With the mission’s financial closure in March 2025 and the subsequent winding down of the SPVs, the responsibility for maintenance reverted to the same under-resourced corporations that had been initially bypassed. This approach reflects a pattern of investment in urban development without providing the necessary governance structures to sustain it.
The NITI Aayog report proposes solutions to address these systemic dysfunctions. The establishment of directly elected mayors with fixed tenures and genuine executive authority would create a political center of gravity that J&K’s cities have historically lacked. Currently, the mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation is elected solely by ward councillors, which inherently weakens the office. Moreover, integrating development authorities under the oversight of city government would eliminate the current impunity.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.