Srinagar/Jammu and the Lesson of the 2014 Flood

Srinagar is the best example of why such an approach is necessary. Historically the city has grown around the Jhelum River and a connected system of wetlands, marshes, channels and natural areas designed to retain floods. These areas were not just empty land; they constituted part of the city's natural infrastructure. The flood of 2014 showed what happens when there is vulnerability in this interconnected system. Even though the flood was a natural occurrence, the level of disruption to the urban area was affected by the degradation, blockage or occupation of the natural drainage and flood-retention systems. Jammu city also experienced the worst flash floods with river Tawi flowing furiously beyond imaginable levels threatening the development along the both sides of river basin. The takeaway for future planning is that it is not enough just to draw a flood zone on the Master Plan; the whole hydrological system must be studied. Geo-informatics can be used to reconstruct past flood extents, identify drainage routes, map out low-lying areas, monitor changes to the wetlands and analyze the relationship between urban development and the natural water-storage systems. This information should continually influence both the Master Plan and the building regulations. A building can satisfy all the usual requirements and yet still increase the city's vulnerability if it blocks drainage or uses up land that has an important flood-retention role.

Wetlands, Water Systems and Groundwater

Wetlands including Dal, Nigeen, Anchar, Hokersar, Khushalsar, Narakar, Gilsar and other vital water bodies must be regarded as essential urban and ecological infrastructure, for their significance goes beyond that of biodiversity and their scenic appeal; they absorb surplus water, aid ecological processes, interact with groundwater systems and help to enhance the resilience of J&K. Geo-informatics is able to determine the historical extent of such areas, to monitor any encroachment, to identify changes in the spread of water and to understand their hydrological connections with rivers, drainage channels and the surrounding catchments. When developing applications they should be automatically checked against these spatial layers, including the legally required buffers and the associated drainage systems. The same rule should apply to groundwater. As urbanization increases, permeable agricultural and natural surfaces are replaced by buildings, roads and paved areas, which in turn reduces infiltration and increases surface runoff. Geo-informatics can identify the areas where aquifers are recharged and how these relate to wetlands, streams and drainage systems. UBBL should then include requirements concerning ground coverage, permeable surfaces, rainwater management, excavation and the protection of recharge areas. In this way, building regulation can at the same time contribute to flood management and to long-term water security.

Geotechnical, Slope and Seismic Safety

The geo-informatics framework must also pinpoint those areas in which geological and terrain conditions call for extra development controls. It is not possible to adequately regulate construction on slopes just by using setbacks and the floor area ratio. Activities such as road cutting, excavation, and the removal of vegetation and the alteration of natural drainage can lead to slope instability. If spatial screening shows that there is a high risk, then a detailed geotechnical assessment should be a necessary requirement before permission is granted. When assessing the situation, account should be taken of slope angle, geology, soil, groundwater, drainage, vegetation, past landslide activity and any existing modifications to the slope. As part of the development proposal, retaining walls, breast walls, drainage systems and slope-protection measures should all be included. Earthquake resilience should also go beyond structural design. Because of Kashmir's high seismic vulnerability, building safety must also take into consideration soil conditions, geological formations, building density, open spaces, emergency accessibility and the capacity for neighbourhood-level response. Geo-spatial seismic micro-zonation can therefore be used to determine building height, density, structural requirements, open-space provisions and emergency access. The aim should be to shift from having earthquake-resistant buildings to having earthquake-resilient neighbourhoods and cities.

Ground Deformation and Environmental Monitoring

Geo-informatics also enables planners to keep an eye on slowly developing risks since ordinary surveys might not spot them. By using satellite radar interferometry, GNSS and ground-monitoring systems, it is possible to detect gradual land deformation and subsidence. In cases where deformation is ongoing, special development controls should be applied, these requiring extra assessments of foundations, groundwater extraction, infrastructure loading and the intensity of development. Moreover, forested slopes should be seen as part of the natural protective infrastructure and their removal can lead to greater erosion, increased runoff and greater slope instability. Forest and ecological sensitivity layers should therefore be included in the spatial screening process, especially in rapidly developing areas in the periphery and in settlements that are geared towards tourism.

From Structurally Safe Buildings to Spatially Safe Development

The key principle that should underlie J&K's future building regulations must be the difference between structural safety and spatial safety. A building can be structurally sound and entirely in line with the UBBL yet still be unsafe if it has been built on an unstable slope, in a flood-retention area, along a natural drainage route or in a crowded location where adequate emergency access is not available. This shows that building safety cannot be divorced from site safety. The aim should therefore be a combination of site and building safety, meaning that the safety of each individual structure has to be taken into account together with the safety of its location, surroundings, infrastructure and its overall contribution to urban risk.

Existing Buildings and Heritage Areas

Planning that is aimed at being resilient to risk should also take into account the existing buildings. Since many of the buildings in J&K were constructed before the present seismic and safety standards were introduced, and in others extensions, extra floors or changes of use have been made, a geo-spatial building inventory should be created to record details such as building characteristics, occupancy, age, structural system, vulnerability and level of risk exposure. Hospitals, schools, public buildings, buildings with a large number of occupants and heritage buildings should be given priority for assessment and retrofitting. The traditional and historic buildings of Kashmir need a special method to be applied. Demolition should not be the first solution when it comes to structural vulnerability. Where technically possible, heritage-sensitive seismic strengthening, fire-safety improvements, adaptive reuse and upgrades to services should all be encouraged. UBBL should offer the necessary flexibility while at the same time keeping the essential safety standards.

Regulating Cumulative Urban Risk

The most significant conceptual shift is to realize that individual compliance does not in itself lead to urban resilience. Even if thousands of buildings each meet the requirements of UBBL, together they may increase the risk of flooding, decrease the amount of open space, overload the drainage systems, reduce the recharge of groundwater, cause greater traffic congestion or block emergency routes. For this reason, UBBL has to be incorporated into the broader context of the Master Plan, disaster management, environmental protection, infrastructure planning and transport planning. Geo-informatics offers the means of keeping track of these cumulative effects over time and is able to show how gradual development is altering land cover, drainage, density, ecological systems and exposure to hazards.

Towards a Geo-Spatially Enabled Building-Permission System

The appropriate next move for J&K should be to set up an online building-permission system that makes use of geo-spatial technology. Each building application must be automatically linked to the spatial features of its location. At the regional level, the system should be able to take into account seismic activity, geological conditions, the likelihood of landslides, forest cover, avalanche danger and the major water systems. At the settlement level, it should evaluate exposure to flooding, the presence of wetlands, drainage conditions, groundwater levels, the capacity of existing infrastructure and access for emergency services. At the site level, it should be able to detect the slope, the type of soil, groundwater levels, drainage and other local limitations. Finally, at the building level, it should consider the structural, seismic, fire and life-safety requirements. The system should also include geo-tagged construction inspections after approval, completion certification, periodic structural assessments and post-occupancy monitoring. This would change geo-informatics from being merely a planning database into an active tool for development control and urban governance.

Way forward; From Static Master Plans to Risk-Informed Urbanism

J&K has no need for a planning system which mainly involves setting up more zones, imposing road-specific regulations and introducing ever more detailed rules at the plot level or use specific bye laws. What it does need is a system that is able to constantly understand the land and then turn that understanding into decisions regarding development. Geo-informatics should therefore serve as the common spatial intelligence layer for urban planning in all the towns and cities of Jammu and Kashmir. The Master Plan should lay down the strategic direction for growth; geo-informatics should detect hazards, ecological sensitivity, development suitability and carrying capacity; development controls should decide on the appropriate intensity and kind of development; and UBBL should convert these spatial conditions into enforceable requirements for individual sites and buildings. The outcome would be a move from zone-based planning to land-capability-based planning, from road-led growth to growth that is informed by space, from static Master Plans to planning systems that are constantly updated, and from granting permission on a plot basis to development control that takes risk into account. The aim is not to halt urban growth but to make sure that it occurs in places and at densities that the land, the environment and the infrastructure can safely accommodate. Resilience for Kashmir must therefore be established before the design of the building begins; it must start with a proper understanding of the land on which the building is to be constructed. ( Concluded)

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