Kargil launches crackdown on illegal construction

MC Orders Daily Checks, Warns of Sealing, Demolition

KARGIL: The Municipal Committee Kargil has tightened its enforcement against unauthorised construction, ordering daily inspections of all ongoing building activity and directing officials to issue immediate Stop-Work Notices where construction is found without valid permission or in violation of sanctioned plans.

The directions, issued through an order dated September 8 under the Ladakh Building Bye-Laws, 2025, come amid observations of construction being undertaken without approval and deviations from sanctioned building plans in parts of Kargil.

The Municipal Committee has also warned violators that action could extend to sealing of premises, demolition of unauthorised structures at the owner’s cost, recovery of composition charges and prosecution, depending on the nature of the violation.

Under the order, Khilafwarzi Inspectors and enforcement personnel must conduct physical inspections in their respective wards every day, covering construction from excavation to finishing. Boundary walls and additions to existing structures will also be inspected.

Officials have been directed to first verify construction activity against registered building permissions maintained under Bye-Law 5.8 before recording a violation.

If work is found to be proceeding without valid permission or contrary to the sanctioned plan, the owner or contractor must be served a Stop-Work Notice at the site.

The notice must be acknowledged and the violation reported to the Municipal Committee within 24 hours, accompanied by geo-tagged and date-stamped photographs.

Officials have also been instructed to submit a prescribed report containing details of the ward or mohalla, owner’s name and address, khasra or plot number, stage and nature of construction, permission details, nature of violation, whether the violation is compoundable, notice served and action recommended.

The order makes clear that serving a Stop-Work Notice will not end enforcement proceedings.

If construction continues despite the notice, officials must immediately report the matter for further action under Bye-Law 4.2(d) and applicable provisions of the J&K Municipal Act, 2000.

To maintain sustained oversight, enforcement personnel have been directed to submit a consolidated ward-wise report every Monday by 11 am.

The stricter enforcement follows a week-long joint drive by the Municipal Committee, Revenue, Police and PWD departments, during which more than 12 notices have already been issued for construction violations.

The Municipal Committee has reiterated that new construction, alterations, additions or deviations from approved plans cannot be undertaken without prior approval from the competent authority.