Jammu-Poonch highway blocked for 5 hrs
Excelsior Correspondent
NOWSHERA, May 15: The traders and local people of Sunderbani town in district Rajouri held strong protest and blocked Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway for over five hours today after two shops were completely gutted in the main market in the town, causing loss of property worth over two crores during last night.
The people were protesting against the District Administration Rajouri, local public representative, and UT Government, demanding opening of a Fire Station at Sunderbani town. They raised barricades and blocked Jammu—Poonch highway at around 8 am. All the shops in the town remained closed. The movement of vehicles ion the busy highway was stalled.
Then traders under the banner of Beopar Mandal, Sunderbani supported by the locals sat on dharna on the road, to lodge their protest. The angry traders were shouting slogans against the LG’s administration and demanded that a Fire Station be set up at this Sub Division. They said that fire tender from Nowshera reached after two hours, and if the facility would have been provided at Sunderbani, massive loss could have been averted. They said other shops could be saved after BSF Unit near Sunderbani rushed a tanker in the market, loxcated on Kangri Road, Sunderbani.
Sources said that at around 10.30 pm last night, fire took place in the hardware shop of Roshan Lal Sharma in the main market at Sunderbani town. The police party led by SHO and locals of the area rushed to the spot. The police informed Nowshera Fire Station and locals with buckets started extinguishing fire. The fire flames kept on increasing and engulfed adjoining electric shop of one Harbans Lal. A scare was caused in the market and other traders started shifting their goods to safer places as fire went out of control. The paints kept in the shop added fuel to the fire. The BSF unit rushed a water tanker on the request of local police. The fire tender from Nowshera reached at around 12.30 am and the fire could be controlled at around 2 am. The loss of property was projected at around 2 crores.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Vikas Kundal along with ASP Nowshera reached the site of protest at around 12.45 pm today. He gave assurance to the protesting traders and local public that he will strongly recommend setting up of a Fire Station at Sunderbani. Meanwhile, the DC directed to station a Fire Tender at Sunderbani along with support staff, till a station is sanctioned here. He also directed Tehsildar, Sunderbani to look out for two rooms for the staff with the Fire Tender.
After this, the people lifted dharna and allowed the movement of vehicles on this busy highway. The protesting people allowed only Ambulances and Army vehicles to move ahead during protest dharna. A long traffic jam was created on both sides of the road for over five hours and many people including employees and students remained stranded on the road.
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