Despite repeated claims of accelerating industrial growth, the Government's inability to clear encroachments on prime industrial land in Jammu has exposed serious gaps between policy promises and ground realities.
As per documents tabled in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, land measuring 522 kanals adjoining the Industrial Estate Bari Brahmana (Balole) in Samba district was taken up for development in 2016 by the J&K State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (SIDCO).
In its 135th Board meeting held on August 3, 2017, SIDCO's Board of Directors directed the Corporation to fast-track development and operationalize the waiting list of applicants under the J&K Industrial Policy. Acting on these directions, allotments were initiated even before the Revenue Department formally transferred the land to the Industries and Commerce Department.
The process was later regularized following Administrative Council Decision No. 113/09/2023 dated November 25, 2023, and Government Order No. 200-JK(Rev) dated December 1, 2023, through which 522 kanals of State land were formally transferred to the Industries and Commerce Department.
Partial Handover, Limited Possession
However, of the total 522 kanals, only 236 kanals and 10 marlas at Industrial Estate Balole were formally handed over to SIDCO for further allotment to industrial units.
More strikingly, physical possession has been secured for just 86 kanals and 10 marlas. The remaining 150 kanals of the handed-over land continue to be under encroachment.
In its reply to the Assembly, the Government candidly admitted that encroachers are "still on the spot," preventing SIDCO from proceeding further and creating potential law-and-order issues.
Thirty-seven industrial units have already been given possession after clearance by the Single Window Clearance Committee. These entrepreneurs have deposited 100 per cent of the land premium prior to execution of lease deeds, yet expansion remains stalled due to the incomplete transfer and ongoing encroachments.
Over 285 Kanals Yet to Be Transferred
The Government has further acknowledged that the remaining 285.5 kanals are yet to be handed over by the Revenue authorities to the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Jammu.
Official records reveal that SIDCO has sent multiple communications to the Deputy Commissioner, Samba, seeking eviction of encroachers. Despite repeated interventions and requests for action at the district level, the illegal occupation continues.
Entrepreneurs Left in Limbo
The prolonged encroachments have effectively stalled expansion plans in one of Jammu's most crucial industrial hubs. Entrepreneurs who invested in good faith now face mounting project costs, prolonged delays, and uncertainty about the future of their units.
Industrial stakeholders are questioning why the administration has failed to retrieve encroached land for years despite formal Government orders. Concerns are also being raised over the non-transfer of more than 285 kanals and the absence of accountability for the delays impacting dozens of investors.
"Bari Brahmana remains one of Jammu's key industrial corridors. Instead of emerging as a symbol of industrial acceleration, it has become a victim of weak enforcement of law," sources in SIDCO said. They added that until encroachments are cleared and full possession secured, claims of 'ease of doing business' will remain confined to policy documents.
While the Government has stated that further allotments will be made once the pending land is handed over to SIDCO, no timeline has been specified for clearing encroachments or completing the formal transfer process. With over 285 kanals still awaiting transfer and 150 kanals under illegal occupation, the absence of a deadline has deepened concerns among the industrial community.
"If no timeframe has been fixed, the obvious question is when the long-pending expansion will actually take shape—and who will be held accountable for the continuing delay," officials remarked.
