Srinagar, Nov 7: Applicants seeking building permissions from the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) have alleged prolonged delays and repeated visits to civic offices despite completing the prescribed formalities, raising concerns over administrative efficiency and transparency.

Several applicants said their files remained pending for weeks or months, with officials repeatedly assuring them that approvals would be issued “today or tomorrow”. The uncertainty, they said, was causing considerable inconvenience to people planning residential and commercial constructions.
People familiar with the corporation’s functioning claimed that SMC was currently processing only three to four building permissions a month, describing the pace as unusually slow for a city with substantial demand for construction approvals.
The alleged delays are also being viewed as a potential loss of revenue for the civic body. According to insiders, commercial building permissions generate around ₹5 lakh to ₹8 lakh per case, while residential permissions attract charges of approximately ₹25,000.
They argued that timely processing of applications could improve revenue collection while reducing the scope for alleged irregularities. Prolonged delays, they claimed, create opportunities for applicants to seek unofficial ways of securing approvals, undermining the transparency of the system.
The issue has gained significance following a recent meeting chaired by the newly appointed SMC Commissioner, who reportedly pulled up Enforcement and Ward Officers over their alleged failure to prevent illegal constructions.
However, insiders questioned whether similar accountability was being enforced within the building permission section, where applicants claim that legitimate applications are not being processed within reasonable timelines.
They also pointed to applicants approaching courts for deemed building permission after failing to secure timely decisions from the corporation. Such cases, they said, add to litigation and administrative complications while potentially affecting SMC's revenue.
Recalling that building permissions were reportedly processed more freely in 2019, insiders said the subsequent slowdown had turned the approval process into a major challenge for residents and business owners.
The allegations have brought into focus the need to balance enforcement against unauthorised constructions with an efficient mechanism for granting lawful building permissions.
Applicants have called for clear processing timelines, transparent tracking of applications and accountability of officials handling files. They said timely approvals would not only ease public inconvenience but also help the corporation prevent unauthorised construction and protect its revenue interests.
SMC is yet to publicly respond to the specific allegations regarding the pace of building permission approvals.