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The Jammu & Kashmir government reported that tourism development authorities (TDAs) issued 415 building permissions in the 2025-26 financial year, exceeding the combined total of the previous two years. Official data indicated that 807 permits were granted between 2023 and 2026 across the Union Territory. The approvals span residential, commercial, and hospitality developments, reflecting rising tourism-linked construction activity. Simultaneously, authorities identified over 500 unauthorised structures across key tourist destinations and initiated enforcement measures including notices, penalties, sealing, and demolitions. The Tourism Department has also expanded homestay registrations to 2,613 units, strengthening accommodation capacity while introducing GIS-based monitoring systems to regulate development and improve oversight across major tourist regions.
The Jammu & Kashmir government stated that tourism development authorities (TDAs) issued 415 building permits during the 2025-26 financial year across the Union Territory, marking a sharp rise in construction activity linked to the tourism sector, according to official data released in the past week. The increase reflects higher development activity across tourist destinations, while authorities simultaneously intensified regulatory action against unauthorised structures. Advertisement
Data shared by the Tourism Department showed that the 415 permissions granted in 2025-26 exceeded the combined total of the preceding two financial years. In comparison, 245 permits were issued in 2023-24 and 147 in 2024-25, taking the cumulative number of approvals to 807 between 2023 and 2026.
The approvals covered a mix of asset classes, including 544 residential houses and 121 commercial buildings over the three-year period. In addition, permissions were granted for 26 hotels, 14 huts and two guest houses, indicating a steady expansion of tourism-related infrastructure across the region.
Alongside formal approvals, the administration identified more than 500 unauthorised constructions across major tourist locations during the same period. Officials indicated that enforcement action included issuing notices, registering FIRs, imposing penalties, sealing structures, and undertaking demolitions where required.
Region-wise data pointed to significant concentrations of violations. Bhaderwah in the Jammu division recorded 358 unauthorised constructions, while Doodhpathri in Kashmir reported 147 such cases. In Pahalgam, 28 illegal structures were identified, of which 13 had been sealed and further action was ongoing. Gulmarg reported 21 unauthorised structures, including 20 sealed and one demolished, while Sonamarg and Verinag recorded five and four violations respectively. In Patnitop, 15 illegal constructions were demolished and several others were halted at early stages.
Officials further stated that regulatory systems were being strengthened through the adoption of spatial monitoring tools. A GIS-based inventory of authorised constructions is currently being maintained by the Chief Town Planner's office in areas with approved master plans, including Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. In other jurisdictions, authorities have made it mandatory to capture geo-coordinates of proposed developments before granting permissions or no-objection certificates, enabling closer monitoring of construction activity.
In parallel, the Tourism Department expanded its homestay ecosystem, with 2,613 units registered across Jammu & Kashmir, offering a combined bed capacity of 19,328. Officials indicated that this segment is playing a key role in augmenting accommodation supply, particularly in emerging tourist destinations.
The data collectively reflects a dual approach by the administration facilitating new construction aligned with tourism growth while tightening enforcement to regulate unauthorised development across sensitive and high-footfall destinations.
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