Channi Himmat Residents Association President Adv VK Grover in a meeting has urged Commissioner JMC and MD Housing Board not to establish Rehri Zone covering parking of Shamshan Ghat as existing parking was primarily established to facilitate traffic during cremation at the Shamshan Ghat which is already facing shortage of space to accommodate vehicles who attend cremation being primary road to move further in lanes and adjoining areas particularly towards railway track in sector-3
As far as question of street vendors is concerned, Divisional Commissioner, Inspector General of Police of both wings executive and traffic, Senior Superintending Police , Commissioner JMC, Vice Chairman JDA should take all necessary steps required for making the roads available for the plying of vehicles only and remove the vendors from the roads available for the plying of vehicles only and remove the vendors from the road and footpath to ensure that no trade takes place on the roads and footpath.
GY CORRESPONDENT
JAMMU, FEB 19
The prominent citizens of Channi Himmat Housing Board colony have shown serious reservations over move of Commissioner JMC letter to Vice Chairman, JDA, Managing Director, J&K Housing Board, Assistant Commissioner(Nazool) vide No. JMC/DC(N)/Rev/2025 seeking NOCs for establishment of rehri zones at nine places within limits of Jammu Municipal Corporation. In this regard, Commissioner JMC has also sought NOC from Housing Board to allow use of existing public parking site nearly 2000 Sqft towards left side of Main Shamshan Ghat road towards Bye-Pass in Sector-1A ,Ward-50 Channi Himmat Housing Colony for establishing rehri zone which according to residents of Channi Himmat is altogether futile idea to waste already short parking place for rehri zone. In this regard registered Channi Himmat Residents Association Channi Himmat colony President Adv VK Grover in a meeting today urged Commissioner JMC and MD Housing Board to drop the idea henceforth as existing parking was primarily established to facilitate traffic during cremation at the Shamshan Ghat which is already facing shortage of space to accommodate vehicles who attend cremation being primary road to move further in lanes and adjoining areas . The move if materialized will further congest the area causing unnecessary inconveniences to those who visit Shamshan Ghat to pay their tributes to deceased besides also will create traffic nuisance for residents also.
Grover further said that existing parking near main Shamshan Ghat Channi Himmat has been constructed over Thangar Nallah drain by Economic Reconstruction Agency ( ERA) at an estimated cost of Rs 78 lacs during the year 2015-2016 on public demand of Channi Himmat and adjoining areas facing traffic jams to reach Shamshan Ghat to manage public parking to accommodate vehicles attending cremation at Channi Himmat Shamshan Ghat . Residents have urged both JMC and MD Housing Board to drop the idea of establishing rehri zone using public parking which will not only waste Rs 78 lacs tax payers money spent on parking slot besides will create traffic nuisance for residents especially for those who attend cremations at Shamshan Ghat.
Moreover Commissioner JMC should also take serious cognizance of letter of Secretary, J&K Housing Board, Jammu vide No. HB/Secy/1007-08 dated 13-2-2024 addressed to him maintaining that Housing Board allots residential plots for residential purpose and commercial sites/assets separately for commercial purpose only. There are already sufficient commercial sites dealing with almost all types of commodities including daily need use in all the seven sectors of Channi Himmat colony separately and there is absolutely no need to use existing parking site near Channi Himmat Shamshan ghat to establish Rehri Zone.
Commissioner JMC before taking any decision regarding establishing rehri zones should make sure traffic volume survey of each road and lane in Channi Himmat be got conducted which will determine the requirement of parking lots in area. Survey of number of private vehicles being owned by each house hold in Channi Himmat streetwise should be got conducted and having done so to survey as to where such private vehicles are being parked .It will be seen that many households have more than one or two vehicles and they park the vehicles on roadside making the roads congested thus hindering the smooth movement of traffic. Govt needs to formulate rules whereby on road parking is discouraged. Simply levying roadside parking charges is not the solution as this will not solve the problem of congestion of roads and smooth flow of traffic. Govt offices should not be allowed in residential colonies as each office has a number of vehicles which are parked on the roads.
As far as question of street vendors is concerned, Divisional Commissioner, Inspector General of Police of both wings executive and traffic, Senior Superintending Police , Commissioner JMC, Vice Chairman JDA should take all necessary steps required for making the roads available for the plying of vehicles only and remove the vendors from the roads available for the plying of vehicles only and remove the vendors from the road and footpath to ensure that no trade takes place on the roads and footpath.
In light of above, Commissioner JMC should think of creating more parking spaces rather than to cover Channi Himmat Shamshan Ghat existing parking for establishing rehri zones as there are already sufficient commercial sites properly tackling needs of residents and there is absolutely no need to establish rehri zone here and if any idea in this regard Commissioner JMC has conceived should henceforth drop this idea in the larger interests of residents of Channi Himmat and also in the interests of those who attend cremations at Channi Himmat main Shamshan Ghat
