The Jammu and Kashmir government has revealed that more than 17.27 lakh kanals of state land were encroached upon across the Union Territory, with authorities successfully recovering over 14.29 lakh kanals so far. The information was shared in the Legislative Assembly in response to a query regarding the extent of encroachment and recovery efforts.
According to the Revenue Department, encroachment has been widespread across both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions. In the Kashmir division alone, 3,27,198.50 kanals of state land were found encroached, out of which 2,16,912.98 kanals have already been retrieved by the authorities. Officials stated that recovery operations are ongoing to reclaim the remaining land.
The situation was more significant in the Jammu division, where a total of 14,00,049.66 kanals of state land had been illegally occupied. However, the administration has managed to recover 12,12,287.44 kanals, marking a substantial achievement in the land retrieval process.
Overall, official figures indicate that out of the total 17,27,248.16 kanals of encroached state land across Jammu and Kashmir, 14,29,200.42 kanals have been successfully reclaimed. The government emphasized that strict measures and continuous monitoring are being implemented to prevent further encroachments and ensure protection of public property.
The large-scale recovery reflects the administration’s intensified drive to identify illegal occupations and restore state ownership of public land. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to continue eviction and recovery operations in accordance with the law.
The issue of land encroachment has long been a concern in Jammu and Kashmir, affecting public infrastructure planning, development projects, and government land management. Officials said efforts will continue until all encroached land is reclaimed and safeguarded for public use and future development.
