Jammu: In continuation to anti encroachment drives by Jammu Municipal Corporation in compliance to the Orders of Division Bench of High Court in WPPIL no. 27/2017 titled COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION V/S STATE OF J&K &Ors., dated 28/03/2018, a number of drives were conducted in Akhnoor Road, Parade, Kachi Chawani, Janipur, Bhagwati Nagar, Shahidi Chowk etc. from the last 15 days.
On 20.07.2018, a joint anti- encroachment drive was conducted in the areas of Indira Chowk, Panjtirthi, Dounthaly Bazar, Pacca Danga, Jain Bazar in order to ease traffic congestions and ensure free movement of pedestrians on footpaths.
The drive was conducted on the instructions of Commissioner, JMC, Arvind Kotwal under the supervision of Secretary, JMC Sunaina Sharma accompanied by Enforcement Officer. Kamini Kesar, Revenue Officers, JMC Parmod Sabharwal, Ashwani Sudan, Parveen Gupta, Sunil Gupta, SHO of concerned Police Station and enforcement staff of JMC.
During the drive, the special squad of Jammu Municipal Corporation removed encroachments and illegal hoardings. The team seized 4 truck load of material like counters, banners, flexes etc. and other material displayed by the shopkeepers in front of their shops and footpaths causing traffic congestions and free flow of pedestrians.
Taking serious note against the encroachers and habitual offenders and in compliance with the directions of High Court in WPPIL No. 27/2017, JMC served 437 initial notices to the shopkeepers for violating the norms by encroaching the footpaths/open space by displaying their goods beyond the shutter line of their shops causing traffic congestion as well as free flow of pedestrians. Thereafter, final notices were issued to shopkeepers who did not comply with the initial notice. Most of the shopkeepers adhered to the notices and submitted written replies with regard to compliance of notices, whereas, some defaulters have become habitual offenders. Among those, two shops at Indira Chowk namely M/s New R.K. Electronics & M/s Sonnet House who were served with initial notice under section 232 of Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 and then served with final notice under section 371 of Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 failed to comply with the directions issued by JMC were sealed by JMC.
JMC has been time and again appealing the public/shopkeepers to display their goods /articles within the shutter line or else such action of sealing shall be the last resort for the defaulters.
