Old city’s famous cloth market Gali Khilonia an eyesore

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 26

The old city’s famous cloth market, Gali Khilonia, has become an eyesore for visitors nowadays and the reason for it is the “faulty” drainage construction work undertaken by the executing agency.

Local shopkeepers and residents alleged that the construction work, which had been undergoing for the past over 10 days, has affected their business badly, besides it had made difficult for pedestrians, particularly elders and children, to walk on the street.

“The contractor hired by the civic body did not bother to guide labourers for taking utmost care to save water pipes passing through the area. The water pipes got damaged, which not only snapped water supply to many houses but also made the situation worse,” Ashok Kumar, a local resident, said.

Ambika Sharma, another resident, said, “On Monday, the condition was so bad that visitors and local residents were unable to walk on the street. The damaged water pipes caused waterlogging on the street, while the debris was dumped on the middle of the street. The civic body seems to have forgotten all the construction norms”.

A civic body official, who wished not to be named, said the construction work had become “a matter of prestige between the local corporator and others” as the corporator interprets any cognisance of it by anyone as “direct interference” in his area.

While corporator Anil Kumar, who belongs to the BJP, did not respond to repeated phone calls, the Deputy Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Purnima Sharma admitted that she also got phone calls from local shopkeepers regarding the problems being faced by them due to the ongoing construction work.

“I will personally visit the area and take stock of the situation,” the Deputy Mayor said.

However, Jaspal Singh, Joint Commissioner (Works), JMC, feigned ignorance over the situation, saying he would enquire about the situation from his field staff.

‘Has affected business adversely’ 

Shopkeepers alleged that the construction work, which had been going on for the past over 10 days, has affected their business adversely.  It has also made it difficult for pedestrians to walk on the street.