By Arfat Khan
JAMMU: Corrupt deeds of the Jammu Municipal Corporation employees has turned posh green belt area into unauthorised Rehri zone resulting into manifold miseries for public, pedestrians and motor riders on the road.
This all merrily flourishing in the said area at the behest of those who hails from Bihar and operates as a gang in the corridors of JMC.
The situation is more alarming on CBI office road in Gandhi Nagar where patronise by JMC employees, these unauthorised Rehri vendors are endangering lives of passing by motor riders and pedestrians by encroaching both sides of the busy road.
The grapevine, however is that, this encroachment was allowed to flourish at free will despite creation of vast and spacious exclusive Rehri zone opposite Church in Gandhi Nagar.
These licenceless reharis don’t turn up on their own at pre identified sites in Gandhi as there is a well organised gang comprising of contractors who rent out these rehris, officials of JMC Revenue wing, cops, Nagrans and supervisors of JMC health wing are working in unison behind this money minting bussiness, alleged JMC insiders.
In Gandhi Nagar and Railway station road bussiness of rehris encroaching road sides is primarily managed by three contractors from Bihar namely namely Saddam Bihari, Kallu and Vishal who managed everything in connivance with JMC officials for uninterrupted operation of illegal rehris, revealed reliable sources.
There is price list fixed for allowing smooth operation of these illegal rehris. For food selling and fruit Chat Reharis in Green Belt, Auqaf Market and hospital road area in Gandhi Nagar, the monthly bribe rate is Rs 2000 & Rs 3500 respectively.
For selling tea, cigarettes and vegetables, the price is Rs 3500, Rs 1000 and Rs 500 respectively, alleged JMC sources.
There are nearly 80 illegal Rehris and 4 permanent kiosks operating illegaly outside Rehri zone in Gandhi Nagar and it’s surrounding area.
More surprising is the role of police who instead of taking action against these encroachment on road have specially deployed two cops and one ASI to ensure smooth functioning of these unauthorized reheries in posh Gandhi area.
Oftenly, due to encroachment of these rehries on road near CBI office in Gandhi Nagar, the buyers parked their cars haphzardly on busy road and pose serious threats to other passing by motor riders on the road, complained Dr Randhir Gupta.
It’s amazing to see the indiscriminate silence of the higher-ups from civil administration, JMC, Police and traffic who passed from this road on daily basis, he added.
The shopkeepers also rued the indifference attitude of JMC authorities who prefered to shut their eyes towards these grave mess on road in Green belt area.
Menace of these illegal rehries was tackled efficiently in the past but in last few months suddenly the entire road in mini market of Green belt turned into illegal Rehri zone due to the active involvement of JMC employees and contractor of these illegal rehris, said one bussinesman who runs grocerries shop in the area.
Is this the blue print of the District administration and JMC to turn Jammu into Smart City, said another shopkeeper.
When contacted the JMC authorities denied influence of any such gangs but prefer to remain mum when asked how these illegal rehris popped up on roadside despite creation of Rehri Zone in the area.