Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: The World Habitat Day was celebrated by Institution of Engineers (India), Local Centre Jammu here today.
On the occasion, a seminar on the Theme topic “Public Spaces for All” was organized in which engineers and other dignitaries from different departments and organizations participated.
Er Vinod Malhotra, Former Development Commissioner, Town Planning, Jammu was the chief guest and Er HC Jerath, FIE Chairman, Jammu Local Centre presided over the function.
At the outset, Er Jerath highlighted the importance of the day to the gathering.
On this occasion six papers were presented on the theme topic by Er SC Thukral, Er PK Nanda, Er BL Rawal, Er Sewa Ram, Er Vijay Kumar Sharma and Er Rajesh Kumar Angural.
All the speakers discussed the burning issues in and around Jammu City like Traffic Management, Planning of Housing Schemes, scarcity of land in planning housing schemes and development and maintenance of green belts. It was also proposed to go in for the Multi Storied Parkings at Shalimar Road & Gandhi Nagar Gole Market where vacant places are already available. It was also proposed to have open spaces in all urban areas in an around Jammu city where children and people of all age groups can frequent to enjoy the environs of nature which otherwise they are presently devoid of due to increasing congestion in urban areas resulting into their adopting the menace of technological indoor addictions like Face book, Whatsapp etc. in order to overcome the scarcity of land the concept of land pooling was also advocated by one of the speakers.
The speakers also appealed the agencies regulating the traffic to be more strict and general public to park their vehicles at the appropriate places.
Er Vinod Malhotra in his concluding address informed the house that as per norms 18 per cent of the city area should be earmarked for roads network where as in the case of Jammu city it is only 8 per cent He requested all the stakeholders to plan the future growth of Jammu city in such a way that chaotic situation in future is avoided lest public spaces will be a dream for Jammuites. He also advocated for separate hawking areas in Jammu so that unnecessary encroachment done by hawkers everywhere can be avoided thereby creating public spaces for all.
Er Mohinder Singh, Honorary Secretary of Jammu Local Centre conducted the proceeding of the function and delivered vote of thanks.
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