The enforcement wing of Jammu Municipal Corporation is in eyes of storm for alleged selective action against unauthorized constructions as well as commercial establishments, which have seen a steep rise in Gandhi Nagar in a couple of months.
Sharing a list of structures that are under construction without any building permission, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, preferring anonymity, told JK Global News, “While the enforcement officials deployed in the area act swiftly against common man and issue notice of sealing, the same enthusiasm falls flat before high and mighty.”
It is worth mentioning here that the JMC functionaries had to face an awkward situation during the tenure of the then Commissioner Pankaj Magotra when a couple of corporators in the General House Meeting accused enforcement wing officials of patronizing unlawful constructions and allowed opening of commercial establishments in violation of land use in lieu of money ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakhs.
Several cases pertaining to conversion of residential buildings by powerful violators into commercial establishments, as well as illegal constructions in Gandhi Nagar, are gathering dust in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), says our reliable sources in JMC.
Opening of commercial establishments in violation of building bylaws has become a money-minting job for a couple of people, whereas it has become a cause of nuisance for citizens, especially motorists, who have to face problems on account of massive congestion created by vehicles due to large-scale conversion of residential buildings into commercial establishments without parking for a single vehicle.
For ground supervision, JMC devised a three-tier mechanism in Gandhi Nagar zone headed by DC (South), Lal Chand, Enforcement Officer, Yashpal, and Enforcement Inspector Kashish Sharma.
“Civic authorities is suffering huge revenue losses in the shape of building permissions due to a spurt in illegal constructions. Whereas, the losses on account of operation of commercial establishments sans yearly renewable NoC pegs at several crores”, says an official of Revenue wing in JMC.
When contacted, EO , Gandhi Nagar Zone said, we are keeping a strict vigil and no one will be spared found constructing commercial or residential buildings in contravention of building bylaws. When further asked, how these unauthorised constructions on such a large scale are prospering without any fear of enforcement wing, he requested the JK Global News to share photos of such illegal constructions in Gandhi Nagar area.