Srinagar: PDP leader Waheed Para on Sunday said the Ease of Doing Business law brought by the National Conference government places the residential neighbourhoods at risk of wanton conversion into commercial areas.
In a post on X, Para, who had opposed the Jammu and Kashmir Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026 in the assembly before it passed by majority vote, said he had very good reasons to oppose the legislation in its current form.
Opposing the new laws, the MLA from Pulwama said, “Shops and commercial activity can now come up inside residential areas. Only Red and Orange category industries and a few heavy activities like storage, freight, nightclubs, and liquor shops are kept out. Everything else can open next to your house.”
He said that as per the new law, a residential building up to 24 metres (high) and 5,000 square metres in area can be built without any Floor Area Ratio or coverage limit.
With a certificate from a government-approved consultant, malls of the same size can come up without any government approval at all, he said.
“Think about what that means in Kashmir. We lived through the 2014 floods. We know what happens when drains choke and wetlands and floodplains are built over. These laws make that risk bigger. They put whole neighbourhoods, our environment and our flood protection in danger,” he said.
He further asked, “Who will answer when a quiet lane becomes a commercial block overnight? Who checks the person who signs the certificate? A signed paper is not oversight.”
The PDP leader said that while the investment in Jammu and Kashmir is welcome, it should not come at the cost of people’s safety.
“Investment is welcome, but not at the cost of people’s homes and safety. Planning rules are there to protect us. Remove them, and we pay for it the next time the water rises,” he added.
