JMC unmoved towards construction of multi-story commercial structure by dismantling existing Vimal Public School building clubbing three residential plots in Ward-27, Bakshi Nagar without JMC permission

Owner at present undergoing construction of commercial basement after excessive digging which has developed cracks in nearby residential houses without maintaining setbacks and covering hundred percent plot area
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
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, aug 18
JMC is well known for having two sets of operations one for unapproachable and one for influential persons wherein it is absolutely kind and lenient towards approachable and absolutely harsh with those having no approach to get recommendation from those who can seek patronage of JMC for even doing construction as per approved site plan. One such examples is ongoing commercial construction by owner of PR Hotel Prem Gupta in ward 27 owning three residential plots 208,209,210 measuring 20×40 Sqft which becomes total area as 60×40 Sqft on main raod in Bakshi Nagar area where at ground floor running Prem Cloth House. It deserves mentioning here that earlier on these three plots, there used to be a School namely Vimal Public School which stopped functioning during first wave of Covid-19 owned by one Bank Manage Ashok Gupta also resident of Bakshi Nagar. As per sources, Prem Gupta purchased this building from Ashok Gupta costing worth crores. Worthwhile to mention here that 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 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 couple of days back started construction of basement with huge RCC pillars round it which is nothing less than a plan to construct a multi story commercial building. 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. 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 converting residential ground floor into commercial one and also extending business area on his own without JMC permission. It deserves mentioning here that at the time of starting construction demarcations shall have to be given in presence of authorized JMC officials and in case of deviation to the sanctioned plan or change of use of premises, the building permission issued shall be deemed cancelled but sadly all these guidelines are not observed by concerned JMC officials resulting in violated constructions. Jammu Municipal Corporation has badly failed in curbing unauthorized constructions within its jurisdiction despite bringing the same before the concerned authorities well in time by locals and also by Activists besides timely informing Enforcement staff deputed in the area at the initial stage of violation but staff instead of performing their duties have only helped and supported violators by getting handsomely paid by them.