By ARFAT KHAN
JAMMU: The district administration seems to have relaxed rules and regulations for construction of dozen illegal restaurants which are fast emerging along National Highway 44 on Mohmayaa –Rangoorah road stretch.
Top of it, the unbridled generosity extended by the most ‘honest and upright’ Station House Officer of the area and Traffic Police officials, the long cue of vehicles which parked along road side by visitors to these restaurants have become a frequent source of nightmare for the motorists on NH 44.
Surprisingly, the highway patrol vehicles which were recently launched by top police brass with pomp n show too remained mute towards the illegal parking of cars and boozing boom on this notorious road stretch.
Illegal restaurants are mushrooming along this stretch of NH 44 which adds to the chaos due to parking of visitors vehicles along the road side, said Dr Rajinder Kumar, who takes the route daily to his work place.
“Parking on National Highway is a serious offence and warrants heavy fine and impounding of violators vehicles” said an officer of NHAI.
None of these illegal restaurants have approved plans from the concerned departments and are built along NH44 in violation of Ribbon Act, said a senior official of NHAI.
In Ragoorah-Mohmayaa area currently in addition to two under construction restaurants, there exist nearly six commercial structures which include Grand Hall, Mad Max, Love at First Bite, Dill 16, Orange and Tommorow land.
Sources reveal “The land on which all these structures are raised belongs to JDA and none of the owner possessed documents of land ownerships.
Everything is managed with the cooperation of JDA officials, police and land mafia, alleged sources.
Look at the Grand Hill, this structure owns only six marlas of authorised area rest entire construction surrounding it was constructed unlawfully by encroached upon the government land, alleged a local of the area.
Not only this, a huge workshop and one upcoming restaurant in the vicinity of the Grand Hill were constructed by encroaching upon Government land in broad day light with impunity.
“Repeated reminders to the district administration for action against these illegal commercial structures bears no results” said sources in NHAI adding that everything is fixed between the violators and the concerned officials of district administration.
If there is no such amnesty then it’s a matter of investigation that how come these lofty unauthorised restaurants were allowed to construct in utter violation of building construction norms, said sources in JDA.
Citing case of Mad Max and Orange restaurants –one official of NHAI said “In absence of parking space, the visitors to these commercial structures parked their cars along road side on national highway and thus endangering lives of motorists.
“The way these illegal restaurants are coming up with impunity in utter violation of building norms shows there is jungle law prevailing in the area where neither the civil administration nor the police ready to play their assigned duties for some obvious reasons” said one officer of District Special Branch, Jammu.
When apprised of these glaring illegal constructions on government land along NH 44 on watsapp, the District Magistrate Jammu didn’t responded, however, JDA Vice Chairperson Babila Rakwal said “Strict action will be initiated tomorrow”