JMC making mockery of Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K’ campaign by allowing commercial structure on residential plot 325-A, Gandhi Nagar on Apsara Road without maintaining setbacks and parking facility despite violations amply highlighted by print media, locals

Mayor busy in Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K’ campaign, JMC enforcement staff crossing all limits of corruption and impropriety in public affairs by deliberately closing its eyes & ears by getting their pockets filled through unfair means at cost of JMP-2032 and Unified Building Bye-laws 2021
Suneesh Gupta r/o Gandhi Nagar Jammu owner of residential plot No. 325-A, Gandhi Nagar Jammu on Apsara Road ,opposite Govt Higher Secondary School ,Gandhi Nagar measuring 45×65 (2700) Sqft converting his residential house into full-fledged commercial by converting residential house into six big shops on ground floor and six more on first floor by suitably fixing shutters covered under white sheet even covering road area as well
Then Commissioner JMC M Raju on August 8th 2017 sealed the premises for making land use change without permission of JMC. The building remained sealed up to 2022, however during tenure of then Commissioner JMC Avny Lavasa, the owner moved an application requesting to de-seal his premises and also owner also submitted an affidavit to JMC solemnizing that in no case he will use his premises for commercial purposes and will only use it for purely residential purposes but didn’t abide by affidavit.
JMC on the basis of written undertaking that owner will use his premises for residential purposes, JMC de-sealed his premises which was a deliberate ploy by owner to get his premises de-sealed and the reality was that since taking this residential house ,he was pre-determined to use it for commercial purposes and the same proved true when owner successfully managed to convert his residential house into full-fledged commercial one.
Locals strongly opposed land use change and even approached Commissioner JMC but nothing was done in this regard and meantime the owner swiftly completed work and right now the owner is swiftly heading towards finishing touch of commercial structure on residential plot. Worthwhile to mention here that even Mayor asked Commissioner JMC to take serious cognizance of this land use change case after locals brought the same into notice of Mayor, JMC. But Commissioner JMC didn’t move an inch as if he was more inclined towards owner rather than acting as per ground report of violation that too of serious nature that is from residential to commercial in residential area
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, sep 29
Mayor Jammu, Rajinder Sharma now days busy in ‘Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K’ campaign taking along all JMC officers and officials. Mayor making people aware of the repercussions of indulging in corruption and motivate them to follow righteous path.The Mayor maintains that combating corruption can be hard but not impossible if everyone refuses to participate in corruption. But surprisingly Mayor is unaware of huge corruption in JMC where money makes Mare go prevails from a long time.JMC openly and brazenly allowing unauthorized constructions in Housing Board Zonal planned colonies Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Channi Himmat at the cost of JMP-2032 and Unified Building Bye-laws 2021. Such a dual standard with regard to transparency and accountability on part of Mayor has been badly criticized by affected people and hundreds of complainants on account of unauthorized constructions. More over Mayor has no regard for print media as well which timely wakes up JMC through detailed stories highlighting serious nature violations including mostly land use change cases from residential to commercial but the same was never taken by JMC seriously as a result of which there is huge boom in unauthorized constructions.
This is evident from the fact this newspaper published a detailed story dated 15-9-2023 that one Suneesh Gupta r/o Gandhi Nagar Jammu owner of residential plot No. 325-A, Gandhi Nagar Jammu on Apsara Road ,opposite Govt Higher Secondary School ,Gandhi Nagar measuring 45×65 (2700) Sqft converting his residential house into full-fledged commercial by converting residential house into six big shops on ground floor and six more on first floor by suitably fixing shutters covered under white sheet even covering road area as well. Meanwhile as a result of story published in print media, JMC instead of taking action against owner which by the way has become talk of town allowed owner to swiftly complete renovation work from residential to commercial and there is every likelihood that this huge commercial structure on residential plot is going to be inaugurated in forthcoming Navratras.
To put the things in perspective, Housing Board allotted a residential plot No. 325-A, Gandhi Nagar Jammu on Apsara Road ,opposite Govt Higher Secondary School ,Gandhi Nagar measuring 45×65 (2700) Sqft in favour of Late Durga Dass in the year 1956 and according the owner constructed a residential house. The owner after sometime sold his house to one Suneesh Gupta r/o Gandhi Nagar Jammu. Suneesh Gupta after residing in this house for some time, planned to modify the residential building for commercial purposes without JMC permission. But when locals raise hue and cry, the then Commissioner JMC M Raju on August 8th 2017 sealed the premises for making land use change without permission of JMC. The building remained sealed up to 2022 under BOCA Act 1988, however during tenure of then Commissioner JMC Avny Lavasa, the owner moved an application requesting to de-seal his premises and also owner also submitted an affidavit to JMC solemnizing that in no case he will use his premises for commercial purposes and will only use it for purely residential purposes.
JMC on the basis of written undertaking that owner will use his premises for residential purposes, JMC de-sealed his premises which was a deliberate ploy by owner to get his premises de-sealed and the reality was that since taking this residential house ,he was pre-determined to use it for commercial purposes and the same proved true when owner successfully managed to convert his residential house into full-fledged commercial one by properly fitting steel shutters by removing existing windows and doors and putting up huge glass towards front side .
Locals strongly opposed land use change and even approached Commissioner JMC Rahul Yadav but nothing was done in this regard and meantime the owner swiftly completed work and right now the owner is swiftly heading towards finishing touch of commercial structure on residential plot. Worthwhile to mention here that even Mayor asked Commissioner JMC to take serious cognizance of this land use change case after locals brought the same into notice of Mayor, JMC. But Commissioner JMC didn’t move an inch as if he was more inclined towards owner rather than acting as per ground report of violation that too of serious nature that is from residential to commercial in residential area. Sources further revealed that Mayor even recommended suspension of concerned enforcement staff deputed in Ward. Enforcement Officer Kumar who is blue eyed person of Commissioner JMC ruling the roost despite all this allowed land use change from residential to commercial on the command of Commissioner JMC.
It deserves mentioning here that as per eyewitnesses JMC enforcement team visited site on 10-9-2023 to seal violated building but left the site after spending considerable time without sealing anything. When locals who had gathered in good number questioned Enforcement team about no action by JMC, they claimed that they have been asked by Commissioner JMC to return back. It is surprising to note that Commissioner JMC is making mockery of BOCA Act 1988 and also their campaign regarding Brashtachar Mukt J&K which seems mere eyewash as if they were really serious about curving corruption, then the building in question not only would have sealed but demolished also. LG Administration and concerned department must take this case seriously as if JMC continues allowing land use changes, then these Zonal planned colonies of Housing Board would soon turned into concrete Jungle which will not be fit for human habitation.