Srinagar, July 29(GNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced a uniform building permission fee for the entire Union Territory. The order was issued on 29 July 2026 by the Housing and Urban Development Department.

As per the new rules, the fee for houses and housing colonies has been fixed at 80 rupees per square metre. For shops, offices, industries, hospitals, schools and other commercial or public buildings, the fee will be 270 rupees per square metre. Buildings that have both residential and commercial use will be charged 150 rupees per square metre. Religious buildings have been exempted from the fee.

The government has also fixed charges for debris and waste management. Residential buildings will have to pay 3,000 rupees while all other categories will pay 10,000 rupees. In case of construction without permission, a compounding fee equal to 40 percent of the normal fee will have to be paid in addition.

Officials said the same rates will now apply in all municipal corporations, municipal councils, municipal committees and development authorities across Jammu and Kashmir. The fee will be calculated on the total approved built up area and will be paid through the online building permission system. No local body or development authority will be allowed to change these rates without the approval of the Housing and Urban Development Department.

The government said the decision has been taken to bring uniformity and transparency and to end the confusion caused by different fee structures in different areas.(GNS)