Poor roads greet visitors in Jammu

Poor roads greet visitors in Jammu
Locals blame Municipal Corporation for neglecting the city
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 29
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has installed a number of hoardings at the entry points and other places in the city to welcome Amarnath yatra pilgrims and tourists. However, poor roads right at the entry point make the visitors aware of the lack of amenities in Jammu.

The very first impression formed in the minds of the tourists is that the local body has failed in providing basic facilities to the residents.

As people enter the municipal limits of the city while coming from Pathankot, big potholes greet them. Bad roads and heaps of garbage dotting the city of temples have brought a bad name to it and damaged its reputation.

The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact that the main entrance road of the city right from Kunjwani to Satwari is in the worst condition and a number of accidents have already taken place on this stretch, all due to its poor upkeep.

“All this is the result of indifferent attitude of the authorities. The ministers entering or leaving the city also have a bumpy ride on this road still the situation has not improved. One can better imagine the plight of the residents when it rains heavily in the city,” says Sohan Singh, a local shopkeeper.

He adds, “It is during the rainy season that lakhs of pilgrims visit the Vaishno Devi and Amarnath cave shrines. However, despite knowing this fact, the government has failed in creating better infrastructural facilities in the city”.

Vijay Manhas, another shopkeeper, says, “The municipal corporation earns huge revenue through taxes. Even then it cannot ensure proper drainage of water and repair of roads. A large amount of funds are being spent on shallow publicity”. According to the shopkeepers, the JMC has failed miserably in carrying out development works.

Meanwhile, JMC officials say the elections of the corporation are pending, which is proving a big hurdle in carrying out the development works. “The repair work of various roads is going on and if somewhere more attention is required, we will try our best,” a senior official said.

Repeated attempts to contact JMC commissioner SC Sawhney proved futile.

Courtesy: The Tribune