ISBT at Narwal lying defunct
Amit Khajuria
Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 25
The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) is lying defunct and the infrastructure is getting stained as the administration has failed to completely shift the existing Jammu bus stand to Narwal.
Despite spending crores of rupees on constructing the new terminus at Narwal, the state administration has left it abandoned. The set-up is being used only for parking of the private buses and trucks.
ISBT, Narwal, was constructed in 2010 to decongest the city roads.
The ticket counters at the terminus wear a deserted look and the benches on the premises are being used by stray dogs and slum dwellers.
“The ISBT is being totally ignored by the administration. After spending crores of rupees, the government has left it for stray dogs,” said Shridhar Gupta, a shopkeeper at Narwal.
“We have been waiting for the general bus stand to be shifted to Narwal so that the market in the area can be developed further. But nothing has been done so far,” he said.
Private bus owners alleged that the Traffic Police were allowing government-run buses in the city during day time while their vehicles were diverted from the Kunjwani Chowk towards the Narwal bye-pass, leading to inconvenience for passengers traveling in private buses.
With the general bus stand yet to be shifted to Narwal, people in the city continue to face inconvenience as huge traffic jams between the BC Road and Jewel Chowk have become a regular feature.
“The ISBT is being used by the interstate buses. The buses which can enter the city are operating from the general bus stand while the remaining are operating from the Narwal ISBT,” said Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pawan Kotwal.
Kotwal also said the entire operations of the general bus stand would not be shifted to Narwal.
“The existing bus stand will not be shifted completely to Narwal. Traffic will be decongested after the construction of multi-storey parking at the general bus stand,” he added.
