Jammu Kashmir Notifies Amendments to Building Bye-Laws, Launches Digital Approval System | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified amendments to the Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL) 2021 and launched a digital building permission system aimed at promoting ease of doing business, streamlining approvals and strengthening compliance across urban areas of the Union Territory.

The amendments have been issued under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, 1970 and the JK Municipal Act, 2000, with the objective of rationalising development controls and digitising the process of granting building permissions.

As part of the reforms, the government has introduced an Auto Scrutiny-Based Building Permission and Change of Land Use (CLU) portal using Auto-DCR technology, enabling a fully digital, rule-based and time-bound system for processing building plans across all Urban Local Bodies and Development Authorities in the Union Territory.

Under the new system, building plans submitted online will be automatically scrutinised by the software against the provisions of the UBBL, Master Plans, Zonal Plans and other applicable development regulations. The system will generate instant compliance reports highlighting deviations, ensuring transparency and uniform interpretation of rules.

The portal integrates CLU with building permission processes, reducing approval timelines from 60–90 days to about 30 days.

According to the amendments, land-use regulations have been simplified by merging several sub-categories into four broad primary uses. The reforms also permit Affordable Group Housing in industrial zones,  promoting inclusive land utilisation.

Development norms have also been revised, with setback regulations rationalised and Commercial Floor Area Ratio (FAR) enhanced up to 400, subject to applicable conditions, thereby increasing development potential.

Additionally, the minimum Right of Way requirement for certain commercial and industrial activities has been reduced from 12 metres to 6 metres, a move expected to encourage economic activity, particularly in smaller urban areas.

The new system also allows self-certification and auto-approval for low-risk buildings, enabling registered architects and engineers to certify compliance with building norms.

The portal further provides features such as online fee calculation, digital payments, real-time application tracking, downloadable approvals and a digital record repository, allowing applicants to monitor the progress of their applications at every stage.

The amendments also introduce provisions related to energy efficiency and environmental compliance, including norms under the Eco Niwas Samhita, with incentives such as additional FAR and fast-track approvals.

Officials said the reforms represent a shift towards technology-driven, transparent and compliance-oriented urban governance, aimed at ensuring planned and sustainable development across Jammu and Kashmir.

The digital portal can be accessed at [https://obps.jk.gov.in](https://obps.jk.gov.in).