HC directs JMC to stop commercial activities in residential areas

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Mar 24: The High Court (HC) has given direction to the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to seal all the commercial activities being run in the Gandhi Nagar area of Jammu.

According to the sources the case of closing all the business in the residential area of Gandhi Nagar is pending in the high court from the past long time.

Sources disclosed that there are about six hundred shops and commercial establishments who have converted residential plots into commercial institutions.

In year 2002, notices for disconnection of electricity issued by Power Development Department under the directions of court were stayed and the in-tirm  stay continues with respect to 53 shops only.

“The petition was listed last week and now it is again coming up for final hearing shortly” they added.

Establishments include all the Showrooms, Education Institutions, Tyre Shops, Garment Store in Apsra Lane and elsewhere.

Government Employees were allotted these plots only for residential purposes. However, entire Gandhi Nagar area and other nearby areas have become an open shop in violation to Municipal Laws.

The Municipal corporation has been a silent spectator to all this for reasons best known to authorities, of course not lawful reasons. It has been seen these showrooms are inaugurated by local legislators.

Now the question arises will JMC implements the order and take some strict action against them or not and if so, what will be the reaction of the people running these business.

Whereas the other localities of the city also experience a heavy rush of new restaurants and hotels without the permission of any authority but still the influential people get on with their work knowing that it is illegal.

Sources revealed that all the higher officials of JMC and town planner development are hands in glove with the culprits and are passing their plans without noticing the area whether it is commercial or residential. Sources also revealed that where the plans of the influential people are not passed they are allowing them making a hefty sum of money for their bank balances.

Sources also said that many illustration projects of the building plans show the project of 4 rooms but the ground reality seems to be different from that one. The people have made different from the proposed plan showing the authority a thumb down.