📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vinayaraj
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Illegal construction encroaches Pahalgam’s protected green zones despite High Court ban
✍️ India Today
🗓 29 Oct 2026, 06:36 AM
👁 14
Illegal structures are rapidly appearing in Pahalgam’s designated green zones, flouting a Jammu and Kashmir High Court order that bans such construction.
Pahalgam, a popular hill‑station in Jammu and Kashmir, is witnessing a surge in unauthorised building activity within its legally protected green zones. Satellite images and on‑ground reports show new cottages, guest houses and commercial sheds sprouting where only forest and pasture were permitted.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had earlier issued a blanket prohibition on any new construction in these ecologically sensitive belts, citing the need to preserve the region’s biodiversity and tourism appeal. Despite the order, local contractors and some property owners appear to be proceeding, citing ambiguous land titles and lax enforcement.
Environmental groups have warned that the unchecked development could trigger landslides, degrade water quality and erode the natural charm that draws visitors to Pahalgam. The state’s forest department has announced plans to intensify patrols and file contempt petitions against violators, but officials say a coordinated response is still a work in progress.
The unfolding dispute underscores the tension between livelihood aspirations of local communities and the broader imperative to safeguard fragile mountain ecosystems.
Authorities are expected to present a detailed compliance report to the High Court within the next fortnight, while activists call for stricter penalties to deter future infractions.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had earlier issued a blanket prohibition on any new construction in these ecologically sensitive belts, citing the need to preserve the region’s biodiversity and tourism appeal. Despite the order, local contractors and some property owners appear to be proceeding, citing ambiguous land titles and lax enforcement.
Environmental groups have warned that the unchecked development could trigger landslides, degrade water quality and erode the natural charm that draws visitors to Pahalgam. The state’s forest department has announced plans to intensify patrols and file contempt petitions against violators, but officials say a coordinated response is still a work in progress.
The unfolding dispute underscores the tension between livelihood aspirations of local communities and the broader imperative to safeguard fragile mountain ecosystems.
Authorities are expected to present a detailed compliance report to the High Court within the next fortnight, while activists call for stricter penalties to deter future infractions.