Brief History about Town Planning Organisation

• Originally, Town Planning Organisation was part of the Directorate of Design & planning, which was created under Govt. order no 114-C, Dated 16-05-1963. At that time, the responsibility of Directorate included planning of various Engineering projects, Coordination & linkage of all branches of PWD, project preparation, Design & planning as main functions, which include collection of statistical & other data, field investigation & surveys of all schemes of roads, buildings, irrigation projects etc.
• The Directorate was re-organized vide Govt. order no. PW-534-WIP, Dated, 26-09-1967 when Town Planning & Architectural Planning & other divisions were added to its function.
• In 1971, The Directorate was again re-organized vide Govt. order no. DP-284-WIP of 1971, dated 12-04-1971.
• Subsequently, the town planning & Architectural Deptt. was bifurcated as separate functions.
• SRO-323 – Jammu & Kashmir UT Town Planning Act, 1963 (XX 1963)was enforced w.e.f. 27th July 1963.
• SRO-508 – In exercise of power conferred by section 29 of the Jammu & Kashmir UT Town Planning Act, 1963 (XX 1963), the Government framedJammu & Kashmir Town Planning rules, 1973.
• The Jammu & Kashmir Development Act. 1970 (XIX of 1970)was promulgated on 31-10-1970 and subsequently vide SRO- 577 – In exercise of the power conferred by section 51 of the Jammu & Kashmir Development Act. 1970 (XIX of 1970) and in supersession of notifications S.R.O. 287 dated 08-07-1971 and S.R.O 406 dated 11-08-1973, the Jammu & Kashmir Development Rules 1976 were framed.
• In 1974, first Master Plan of Jammu city was prepared for 20 years horizon. A large Number of Town Planning Schemes were prepared under Town Planning Act, 1963for urban settlements/Towns, interim-action Plans& Tourist-resort towns were also undertaken in Jammu province.
• At present the J&K UT has Town Planning Organisation functional at two division i.e., TPO Jammu and TPO Kashmir. District level Offices of Town Planning Organisation has also been set up at district levels in UT. However there is need to re-organise and strengthen the Town Planning Organisation wings at distt. Level so as to make it fully functional.