Locals blame JMC for mismanagement, say area now a hub for garbage and anti-social activities
Ashu Kumar
Jammu Tawi, July 10 – A parking project in Gorkha Nagar, Ward No. 48, once envisioned as a model civic facility by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), has today turned into a symbol of neglect, public discontent, and administrative failure.
Constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore, the JMC-developed parking area was designed to accommodate 40–50 vehicles, mainly to benefit the residents of Ward No. 48. What was meant to ease the traffic congestion and provide secure parking for local vehicles has now, ironically, become a dumping yard, attracting stray animals, waste, and criminal elements. For the past 1.5 years, the area has remained unused for its intended purpose, rapidly deteriorating and now serving as a haven for drug users and drinkers, according to local residents.
Before the project began, the land was used informally by residents for parking their own vehicles. However, once JMC took over the space for construction, residents claim that no proper alternative or engagement was offered, and the very people for whom the parking lot was built were priced out of using it.
Post-completion, the JMC began charging a hefty fee of Rs. 2,500 per month for parking—a rate that residents argue is unaffordable for middle-class families living in the area. “This was public land, and the facility was made using public funds. But now we are being asked to pay exorbitant charges just to park our own vehicles,” said Kulbir Singh (President Dogra Sabha of Ward 48. “How can a working-class family afford Rs. 2,500 per month for parking?”
Frustrated residents staged multiple protests, urging the authorities to either waive the fee or make the space freely available for locals, especially since the land originally served their parking needs. Despite these efforts, residents claim that no senior municipal officer visited the site, nor was any resolution or hearing granted to the protesting locals.
“The JMC has completely ignored our pleas. Instead of improving the facility or lowering the fee, they have let the place rot. No one is using it, and it has become a dumping yard and a security hazard,” said Latish Sharma, another local resident.
Residents are demanding the following immediate actions:
Removal of dumping waste and full cleaning of the area, Review and reduction of parking fees for local residents, Re-development of the site with proper lighting and fencing to avoid misuse, Holding JMC accountable for the misuse of public funds.
