Jammu Tawi, July 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a model of urban excellence under the Smart City Mission is facing serious credibility questions — especially in Gorkha Nagar, Ward No. 48 of Bahu Fort Block, where residents say they’ve seen nothing but broken promises.
While official records may proudly boast of successful implementation of the Smart City project, the ground reality in this part of Jammu tells an entirely different story. For the residents of Gorkha Nagar, “Smart City” exists only on paper. In fact, many say it feels like their ward isn’t even on the administrative map.
When the Northlines reporting team visited Gorkha Nagar, what we witnessed was not just a locality plagued by civic issues — but a population filled with frustration, anger, and a sense of betrayal that has been building up for over 15 years.
One of the major complaints is the lack of basic sanitation services. “We have not seen a regular safai karamchari in years,” a shopkeeper in the area told Northlines. “Even the garbage collection vehicle skips our lanes. It just passes through the main chowk like a senior officer, barely stopping, and drives away.”
Residents say that sanitation workers only appear when there is a visit by a senior government or JMC official. “Suddenly, there is an outburst of cleanliness drive — sweeping, garbage collection, everything — but only for a day or two. Then it’s back to the same old neglect,” said another local.
What adds insult to injury is that despite being denied basic services, the residents are regularly charged by the JMC. “We pay our JMC receipts every month. And if we delay or fail to pay, we are slapped with challans,” said a senior citizen. “This is nothing less than bullying by the civic body. What are we paying for?”
According to the people of Gorkha Nagar, the Smart City promises — clean streets, modern drainage systems, reliable waste management, and efficient civic administration — have all remained hollow in their ward. They allege that while other areas may have seen some level of improvement, Ward No. 48 continues to live in neglect, filth, and administrative ignorance.
The Northlines team received a strong appeal from the residents, urging the JMC Commissioner to visit the area personally and assess the situation. “We don’t want sympathy; we want action. We want our streets cleaned regularly, our garbage collected, and our area treated like every other part of Jammu,” said one of the many frustrated voices.
The Smart City project was launched in Gorkha Nagar, Ward No. 48, with high hopes and promises of better infrastructure. However, the project remains incomplete. Workers dug up streets and the local nallah for pipeline work but never repaired or restored them. Today, every lane in the area is in a severely damaged condition. Speaking to Northlines, local residents expressed deep frustration, saying that the incomplete work has disrupted daily life. Accidents have become common, and walking has become dangerous, especially for children and elderly citizens.
Residents also alleged that their repeated complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Showing their anger, they claimed that the ministers and officials of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) have completely ignored Ward No. 48. “It feels like this area has been erased from their map,” one resident said.
As Jammu aims to become a world-class smart city, the people of Gorkha Nagar ask: how can a city be smart if it forgets its people?
