JAMMU: With the change of guards in Jammu Municipal Corporation, the old routine practice of khilafwarzi inspectors to patronize illegal constructions by smartly playing on the name of issuance of notice under 7(1) and 8 (3) of BOCA have once again resumed an alarming proportion which raised question marks on the functioning of higher ups in JMC especially the enforcement wing.
Though the incumbent Commissioner Rahul Yadav during surprise visits in various parts of city himself noticed scores of massive illegal constructions especially installation of iron shutter in violation of land use, however, this fail to deter the illegal constructions in others parts of the city.
In one such illegal construction which despite being brought into the notice of JMC Commissioner on dated Sep 30, 2022, the Khilafwarzi inspector Sushil Singh who is jack of all trade in Revenue wing of JMC instead allow owner of H.No 31 Bakshi Nagar, Bahagat Singh Chowk to complete slab work for carving out a shop from residential structure in massive violation of BOCA laws.
On being inquired, enforcement inspector Sushil Singh while evading replies on mentioned illegal construction said “I am fully aware about it since Sep 28, 2022 and work has been stopped with issuance of notice under BOCA. But, when apprised with photo taken on Tuesday October 4, 2022 about construction activities undertaken with full throttle, Sushil Singh replied “I did my part now it is job of Joint commissioner enforcement as well as concerned enforcement officer to take cognizance of illegal constructions.
Blaming the higher ups for encouraging this illegal construction in Bakshi Nagar, Rajinder Gupta of the locality said “Every day without failure the enforcement inspector Sushil Singh used to visit this illegal construction site but after exchange of greetings disappear. There is something fishy else without consent of concerned enforcement inspector owner cannot even fix a single brick”.
“The JMC authorities for sake of corruption are hell bend to convert old city into hell where installation of shutters by converting rooms alongside roads in congested lanes have become a nightmare for pedestrians and motorists. The commissioner JMC should immediately take cognizance of such illegal constructions, added Rajinder.
The JMC enforcement inspectors have developed special predilections for allowing installation of shutters and converting residential structures into commercial establishment in violation of JMC Building Bye-laws Act 2000.
The rate of shutter and converting residential house into commercial establishment by mocking BOCA laws in old city is Rs 50 K to 2 lakhs whereas in Gandhi Nagar and adjoining areas the rate is 5 lakhs to 15 lakhs.
Another money minting business is sealing and de-sealing of illegal structures especially commercial on frivolous grounds, reveal insiders.