Vegetable Mandi opens at the behest of Sainik colony Councilor in June, 2020 on road side for limited hours working mysteriously disappears & replaced by 12 illegal kiosks after encroaching upon major portion of busy road in Sector D
By Rahul Jamwal
JAMMU: Accusing a local leader of Bhartiya Janta Party for encouraging encroachments in the area, the residents of Sainik colony have envisage overnight construction of 12 kiosks on ever busy road of Sector D as an attempt to obliterate peaceful atmosphere of colony and urged upon the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation to act against unscrupulous elements and razed down unwanted illegal structures which are endangering lives of the pedestrians on the road.
If the residents of the colony are to be believed, these kiosks are part of a well organized encroachment at the behest of a local leader who is eyeing on exploiting either sides of road in Sector D which is considered as commercial hub of the colony.
Irked over the silence of local Councilor over construction of these Kiosks after encroaching upon major portion of a road, one resident of Sainik Colony namely Mohinder Singh said “This is a new phenomenon and indication of arrival of Rehri Mafia in Sainik Colony in connivance with the notorious gang of JMC, who earned mastery in such projects and enjoy political clouts”. “Is this, the face-lifting of a well planned colony under prestigious Smart City Project”, he questioned.
Interestingly, the space where these kiosks were constructed in a jiffy was earmarked for vegetable vendors for sale of agriculture produce with limited time duration from 6 am up to 9 am on daily basis. This model was replica of vegetable mandi which exists for three hours similarly in the morning at Canal Road and Indira Chowk areas of City.
Strangely within few months of existence, the vegetable Mandi vendors disappeared and in a well organized manner were replaced by new faces with 12 Kiosks fitted with electric facility, said Rajinder Sharma, resident of Sainik Colony.
Last year in the month of June, the Councilor of the area Narinder Singh Jamwal along with officials of Horticulture Department has inaugurated this temporary vegetable Mandi for convenience of residents of colony which sadly now become a source of distress for the inhabitants.
Today, it’s illegal kiosks and soon there will unauthorized Auto rickshaw stands followed by chat papadi and dosa wala etc which established their eateries after encroaching upon road and shrink it, cautioned Sarita, resident of the Sainik Colony.
Residents are complaining that Sainik Colony so far not used to such nuisance in the area but if encroachment along roadside alike these kiosks structures is encouraged it will defaced the impressive layout of the colony and caused chaos in the area.
“We are surprised at the silence of Councilor, Narinder Singh Jamwal who also happen to be Chairman, Sanitation and Heath Committee of JMC and Joint Commissioner, (Smart City Project), JMC, who also resides in the same area” avers Jagtar Singh.
These encroachments are endangering the lives of citizens as the buyers parked their cars in haphazard manner jeopardizing the free movement of pedestrians on roadside, said another retire army officer. Road sides are for safe movement of people and if it’s allowed to be encroached then there will accidents and chaos, he further added.
The Joint Commissioner (A) of JMC, Pankaj Gupta also resides in the same area and must take cognizance of this encroachment and initiate action against the erring officials for remaining mum over it, said Mukesh Gupta.
The authorities must act swiftly before it become headache for them as there always remains a practice of mafia who work behind suck kiosks. ” First they established kiosks after bribing lower officials in JMC and later when the higher authorities acts to remove these encroachmennts along road sides, they stage protest demonstrations and demand rehabilitation”. It’s a nexus, said Jasbir Singh.
Denying his role in abetting these broad daylight encroachments along roadside in Sainik Colony, sector D, Councilor Narinder Singh said “It’s a fact that last year in the month of June, vegetable Mandi was started at his behest with the help of Horticulture Department”
Further, expressing his ignorance about these kiosks, Singh said “Encroachment along roadside is deterrent to the healthy environment of a planned colony and deserved to be removed without delay”