JMC facilitating multi-story commercial structure by dismantling existing Vimal Public School building clubbing three residential plots in Ward-27, Bakshi Nagar despite strong resentment by locals

Owner after completing construction of commercial basement after excessive digging developing cracks in nearby residential houses without maintaining setbacks and covering hundred percent plot area now raising RCC Pillars to construct multi-story commercial structure making land use change from residential to commercial
Owner openly making land use change in residential colony popularly known as Govt Refugee Colony openly and brazenly under nose of JMC authorities much to the disappointment and agony of aggrieved locals but so far no BOCA notices served to owner despite matter thoroughly projected before JMC higher-ups
Despite publishing detailed stories along with pictures and also informing concerning enforcement staff, JMC hasn’t moved even an inch which proves that owner is enjoying their patronage at the cost of JMP-2032 and Unified Building Bye-laws 2021
Moreover owner Prem Gupta in front of these three plots existing structure also owns PR Hotel absolutely in front of other side of road which as per sources has been constructed covering road area and without maintaining setbacks by covering more area with help of Enforcement staff without getting site plan approved from JMC
Prem Gupta has already been running huge shop under name and style Prem Cloth House on Plot No. 208 which was also part of building where Vimal Public School was running now aims to convert whole of school building into multi-story commercial structure
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, oct 10
Notwithstanding creating special wing in JMC and deputing charge of Enforcement Wing of JMC to a Joint Commissioner level officer, deputing good number of Enforcement Officers, unauthorized constructions particularly from residential to commercial making land use change within Municipal limits going on unabated as Enforcement staff extending all possible help to violators to raise choice constructions even against approved site plans and against guidelines of Jammu Master Plan 2032 and Unified Building Bye-laws 2021 resulting in planned housing colonies and resulting in unnecessary sufferings to law abiding citizens of the area. JMC enforcement staff has yet been exposed for supporting violators in raising unauthorized construction at by dismantling existing Vimal Public School building clubbing three residential plots in Ward-27, Bakshi Nagar on main road in front of PR Hotel with closed gates to hoodwink public. It deserves mentioning here that one Mrs Shifali Gupta wife of Deepak Gupta and Deepak Gupta son of Prem Gupta r/o Bakshi Nagar Jammu purchased four storied structure constructed over plot measuring 1200 Sqft including ground floor 1000 Sqft,first floor 722 Sqft,2nd floor 470 Sqft, third floor 432 Sqft constructed at quarter No.209,210 Ward 27, Bakshi Nagar from one Ashok Kumar s/o Jag Mohan Gupta costing worth crores. Worthwhile to mention here that on this four storied building, Vimal Public School was running which stopped functioning during first wave of Covid-19. This four storied building got registered in name of Mrs Shifali Gupta wife of Deepak Gupta and Deepak Gupta son of Prem Gupta in Court of law dated August 29th 2022.
Worthwhile to mention here, that Prem Gupta father of Deepak Gupta and father-in-law of Mrs Shifali Gupta has already been running huge shop under name and style Prem Cloth House on Plot No. 208 which was also part of building where Vimal Public School was running covering plot No.9 and Plot No.10. However with a aim to completely convert whole of the building of school into multi story showroom with two basements without permission of JMC, Prem Gupta after taking possession of building started construction by dismantling existing school building step by step without getting site plan approved from JMC. Taking serious cognizance of this aggrieved locals particularly immediate neighbors who were badly affected by this gigantic commercial construction with excessive digging for construction of basement and also developing serious nature cracks and shaking foundation of their residential houses brought the same into kind notice of enforcement staff but nothing was done in this regard as a result of which the owner being an influential person started construction of basement with huge RCC pillars round it which is nothing less than a plan to construct a multi story commercial building.
When the aggrieved locals management of this newspaper and after our correspondent personally visited site after interacting with locals, a detailed story was published highlighting serious violations showing construction of basement that too without permission of JMC along with pictures dated 19-8-2023 , Enforcement staff stopped construction work for some days but soon construction work again started and locals again approached newspaper office when JMC failed to take any action against owner. The management of Newspaper yet again visited site and found that construction was going on with closed gates. As a result of which another detailed story highlighting violations along with pictures indicating construction was going on published dated 30-8-2023. However this time Secretary JMC and BOCA incharge visited site and told affected locals who had gathered there that construction work has been stopped which was a white lie as locals informed that construction work was not stopped and construction work continued with closed gates. However from couple of days construction work is going on swiftly with help of Enforcement staff deputed in the area. It is surprising to note that despite genuine resentment by locals, JMC didn’t serve any BOCA notices to owner for raising violated construction without getting site plan approved from JMC till date.
JMC instead of serving BOCA notices under relevant sections facilitating commercial construction by asking owner to close both the entry gates to hoodwink general public that JMC has stopped unauthorized construction but in reality the construction was not stopped and still continuing. In the meantime the owner being an influential person in the area has already completed construction of basement and now raising RCC Pillars to construct multi-story commercial structure.
Though JMC Commissioner during surprise visits in various parts of city himself noticed scores of massive illegal constructions in violation of land use, however, this fail to deter the illegal constructions in others parts of the city. Blaming the higher ups for encouraging this illegal construction in Bakshi Nagar, one local of the locality said “Every day without failure the enforcement inspector used to visit this illegal construction site but after exchange of greetings disappear. There is something fishy else without consent of concerned enforcement inspector owner cannot even fix a single brick”. Another money minting business is sealing and de-sealing of illegal structures especially commercial on frivolous grounds, reveal insiders.
Moreover Prem Gupta in front of these three plots existing structure also owns PR Hotel absolutely in front of other side of road which as per sources has been constructed covering road area. Aggrieved locals further disclosed that such a gigantic commercial constructions has developed cracks in nearby residential houses due to excessive digging but even then JMC enforcement staff hasn’t taken any cognizance of this which shows the owner is enjoying patronage of JMC. Pertinent to mention here, that Prem Gupta has also purchased residential houses in the surroundings and a well known figure in the area.
The start of this commercial construction has put serious question mark on credibility and sincerity of JMC which always delays action against influential persons as a result of which the owners successfully complete violate construction. When these violated construction near completion they wake up and then serve BOCA notices and here also never project actual violations and somehow help violators to get violations compounded by projecting same at lower side to help owners.
Notwithstanding it is clearly mentioned that no person shall undertake or carry out the development of any site in any Municipal area or erect or re-erect any building or make or extend any excavation or lay out any means of access to a road in such area except with the previous permission of the Authority concerned in writing, JMC enforcement staff allowing unauthorized constructions within Municipal areas. The violators within limits of Jammu Municipal Corporation jurisdiction by now are so well versed with loop holes and lacking in Corporation and have knowledge whom to approach JMC especially enforcement staff to undertake choice constructions both residential and commercial even without getting the site plan approved and even without following guidelines of Jammu Master Plan 2032.
Commissioner JMC must take serious cognizance of this and should immediately send team to have first hand appraisal of land use change at the site where owner without any fear of competitive authority openly and brazenly dismantling ground floor into commercial one by constructing basements and also extending business area on his own without JMC permission. For enforcement inspectors, the solution to illegal constructions is always readily available for price. The large number of unauthorized commercial as well as residential constructions which are going on in areas allotted to them stands testimony to these allegations of corruption which is flourishing at alarming speed.