SRINAGAR: More than 1,400 structures, including many residential houses, which the government declared illegal, were demolished in Jammu and Kashmir after the formation of the Omar Abdullah government in October 2024. The government has said the house of journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing, which was demolished in Jammu last year evoking resentment from civil society members and including the CM and his deputy, was demolished after due procedure.
In response to a question, the CM in a written reply informed the Assembly on Thursday that a total of 1,425 illegal structures, including 1,194 residential houses and 231 commercial properties, were razed across the UT since formation of this government. In Srinagar, 1,133 structures, including 119 commercial establishments, were demolished by J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority, Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Srinagar Development Authority.
Jammu district recorded 237 demolitions, including 75 commercial structures carried out by Jammu Development Authority, Jammu Municipal Corporation and revenue authorities followed by 19 in Ramban district, 10 in Anantnag, seven in Kathua and four in Shopian, three each in Kulgam, Ganderbal and Udhampur while two structured were demolished in Budgam and one each in Baramulla and Kupwara districts.
Among the structures demolished was a house on three-marla of land in Jammu of a local journalist Arfaz Daing, who runs the digital news portal News Seher India.
The CM had distanced his government from demolition of journalist’s house claiming that bulldozers were not used on his direction. Deputy CM Surinder Singh Choudhary had said JDA has to explain who ordered demolition at the home of journalist Arfaz Daing.
According to the CM, encroachments are regularly removed as per the J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1988.