Srinagar, April 18 -- A housing crunch is tightening its grip on Srinagar. With the city's population set to swell from 1.78 million to nearly 3 million by 2035, according to the Srinagar Master Plan-2035, the demand for shelter is skyrocketing. Urban planners say Srinagar must add at least 300,000 housing units in the next twenty years, a target that poses serious logistical, economic, and environmental challenges for the region.

"Srinagar's current housing stock is nowhere near what's required to accommodate this explosive growth," says Dr. Shaheen Dar, an urban planning expert. "We need a radical shift in policy, backed by strategic development and sustainable practices, to avoid a housing collapse."

Currently, Srinagar faces a housi...