Govind Sharma
Transport Nagar, Narwal, which was planned and established by Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in the year 1991, is craving for even basic facilities like proper roads, regular water supply and sanitation facilities.
It is divided into seven yards comprising of about 30 blocks and about 1000 shops including many big, medium and small shops, which are rented to Transporters, depots of multi-national companies, stores of Spare Parts, dhabas and so on. Of all the seven yards, yard No 6 is the largest in terms of space.
Since its existence, no attention was paid to its maintenance due to which the internal roads are nowhere in sight and are turned into uneven kuccha roads having large potholes while the external roads are also in deteriorated condition. The condition of the bays between the blocks is also the same and needs immediate attention of the JDA authorities, who since the establishment of the facility, is in deep slumber and never takes any step for its maintenance.
Accessibility to the area is very poor and is also very prone to accidents. A heavy rush of traffic is witnessed in the morning and in the evening in these access roads, which have been encroached by the kiosks and rehri owners. There is unauthorized parking of junk trucks, buses and tankers for last two to three years and the Government agencies have no plan to check, challan or remove these vehicles. In terms of basic amenities like roads, street lights, drainage and sewerage etc., the facility is highly lacking. Due to the high Vehicle Damaging Factor (VDF) of the heavy vehicles, the road surface has got damaged and developed big potholes. The area given per shop unit is very less as traders require larger areas to store the heavy spare parts of the motor vehicles. The Transport nagar is under immense pressure as the demand has surpassed the supply side manifolds, forcing truckers to park their vehicle on streets.
Jammu Municipal Corporation, which is supposed to provide its services to maintain cleanliness in the facility, never took pain and always denied services to the facility since its establishment despite repeated requests by the traders, shopkeepers and various associations of the facility. The drains and nullahs are meant for throwing garbage in the market. The heaps of garbage in and around nullahs is common feature in the market, as there is neither any bin provided by the JMC to throw garbage nor any Safaikaramchari visited there in last 20-25 years.
“There is no system of sanitation. Roads are being encroached upon by kiosks and rehri owners. It appears that it is free for all for the encroachers to get land and power with the consent of lower staff of JDA and PDD”, Sunil, one of the traders said, adding both JDA and JMC are ignoring the area since its establishment.
Rajinder Singh, a truck driver said that the entire road surface within the premise should be made concrete, making it suitable to withstand the high VDF of the Heavy vehicles. Besides, there should be resting places for the drivers, restaurants, a post office, a dispensary, a High Mast Light in every bay besides a water cooler and a Sulab Toilet Complexe in each yard of the facility.
“Many times our association highlighted the issues of encroachment, bad condition of roads, lack of sanitation and clearance of garbage from Transport Nagar and adjoining areas with the higher ups of JDA and JMC besides concerned ministers, but no concrete action was taken by JMC/JDA as promised by them from time to time”, said Kuldeep Balgotra, vice-president, of Transport Nagar Welfare Association.
He also stressed for blacktopping of all roads, lanes and drains in Transport Nagar, installation of new electric poles and replacement of old electric wires, regular water supply, construction of three mini-bus sheds, permanent appointment of Traffic cops and removal of garbage on daily basis by JMC.
Alleging that many unclaimed and unused vehicles are parked in the Transport Nagar for a long time, Deepak Dafatari, general secretary of the association said that JDA must act and remove these vehicles, which are a security threat. He further stressed for removing scraps from the Transport Nagar and providing a separate space for dumping these scraps.
“Though maximum revenue goes to the Government from Transport Nagar, yet it (Govt) never took care of the problems of the transporters and other shopkeepers”, he said adding the shopkeepers of Transport Nagar usually face problems in transfer and selling of their allotted property, which should be made easy by the JDA.
When contacted Vice-Chairman, JDA, Mubarak Singh said that they are very well aware of the problems of Transport Nagar and they are trying to solve every issue of traders of Transport Magar which will take some time. On a query he said that you cannot say that no work has been executed in Transport Nagar since decades. Many works have been done till now and many could be done but due to lack of resources we can not do that, he said.
“There are already two Sulabh Toilet complexes and soon we will establish two more for the convenience of the transporters. Likewise some High Mast Lights have already been established in the market and in the coming days we will install more such lights. Many roads have been blacktopped recently and work on many roads are in progress”, he said adding JDA is very strict against encroachers and their team use to carry out anti-encroachment drives in regular intervals of time in the area.
Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Saujanaya Sharma when contacted and asked about the reasons for not providing facilities to maintain cleanliness in the Transport Nagar, said, “Commercial areas established by JDA do fall in the ambit of JMC and it is the duty of JDA to provide sanitation facilities in these areas and that too on payment”. He said it is not possible for the Corporation to provide services even in commercial areas with the present manpower, which is not sufficient.
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