Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 8: Residents of Gandhi Nagar Housing Colony living in close vicinity of Gole Market, have appealed the Government to stop proposed construction of Shopping Complex by ERA in the Central Park.
They alleged that the proposed construction of this commercial complex was being taken up in gross violation of land use, Master Plan and approved layout plan of the Housing Colony notwithstanding High Court’s firm directions against violation of these documents.
A deputation of Gandhi Nagar inhabitants, including several retired bureaucrats and prominent citizens residing in A/B and A Block of the Housing Colony, today visited the Excelsior office and explained the reasons behind their opposition to proposed construction of shops in the Gole Market Green Park.
“The park serves as the only lung for this side of the Colony and this green patch is vital for the local resident, particularly elders, women as well children for recreation and relaxation especially in the morning,” they said, adding that construction of more shops in already crowded area would create more pollution and traffic hazards in the locality.
Further, the land use of the area is green patch and has not so far been changed while the Colony in its notified plan clearly earmarked over 36 shops with a central park, they informed.
The deputation alleged that the proposed shopping complex is aimed to serve the vested interest of some business houses by ERA, which called a few residents of the Colony from distant parts having no stakes in the area and taken their consent for the same.
Only few vested business interest shall be benefited who are interested to get these shops constructed at the cost of civil society and are pressurizing the ERA authorities to go ahead with construction, the deputation said.
It is strange that when the cities are expanding and facilities of mall etc are being created in huge open areas in view of traffic generated, ERA is going for such project in the already congested area of a Housing Colony.
Informing that an appeal against the proposed construction has also been forwarded to the Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla and Minister for Planning and Development Ajay Sadhotra, the deputation sought immediate instructions to the ERA for shelving this project.
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