Continuing with its endeavor of highlighting the various issues pertaining to the holistic development of winter capital city, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry has made significant suggestions at two different forums during the past some days. Firstly, during interaction with the new Urban Development Minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora, the Chamber members stressed the need for devising a futurist and perspective plan for planned development of winter capital. One important issue is that on one side population is increasing and on the other side colonies are coming up in a haphazard manner. Obviously owing to scarcity of land the focus has to be on vertical growth of the city in order to reduce the pressure on the land of Jammu city especially on the agriculture land and the Chamber members have rightly laid stress on this aspect. The Chamber also put forth valuable suggestions for smooth functioning of traffic system and reducing the sewage and water logging problems. We hope that the new Urban Development Minister would do well to prepare futuristic plans for planned development of the city.
Secondly, the Chamber has approached the Railway Ministry for expansion of Jammu Railway Station and creation of new Railway Division keeping in view the expansion of railway network in Jammu and Kashmir. In this column we have many a time said about the urgent need of extension of Jammu Railway Station to handle the influx of enormous number of visitors and pilgrims. Even the State High Court in the recent past issued numerous directions for development of Jammu Railway Station as model station with all facilities particularly for aged and infirm visitors. We hope the representation of the Chamber to the Railway Ministry would be taken seriously and steps taken for expansion of railway station, expediting work on double laning of track from Jammu to Jallandhar and starting of direct trains from Jammu to various destinations across the country.
As the train service has already been extended from Jammu to Udhampur and in the next few months the same would reach holy town of Katra and Banihal from Srinagar side, there is every justification for creation of separate Railway Division at Jammu and setting up of Rail Engine Workshop. This infrastructure would not only be of immense help for the smooth railway operations but also generate employment opportunities for the Jammu and Kashmir youth. Moreover, there should not be any delay on the part of Railway Ministry about setting up of Institute for Tunnel and Bridge Engineering at Jammu as was announced in the Budget Speech of 2011. We hope Railway Ministry would seriously consider the representation of Chamber of Commerce and make provision of funds for such activities in the Budget for the 2013-14 financial year.
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