Being used as a place to park pvt buses, trucks
Public money worth crores has been wasted as the district administration has failed to completely shift the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) to Narwal even after seven years of its completion.
After spending crores of rupees on its construction, the administration has abandoned the ISBT as it is being used only for the parking of private buses and trucks.
“The administration is being pressurised by the shopkeepers and travel companies based at the General Bus Stand, who do not allow them to shift the ISBT completely to Narwal. The government had constructed a huge infrastructure for the inter-state buses. However, due to political reasons and the pressure built up by the shopkeepers of the General Bus Stand, infrastructure worth crores is being wasted,” said Sushil Kumar, a shopkeeper at Narwal.
Constructed in 2010 to decongest the city roads, the ISBT, Narwal, was defunct till 2014 and later, the administration partially shifted only private buses to the ISBT, that too, during day time. Only buses which commence or complete their trip between 8 am to 8 pm in daylight operate from the ISBT. However, all the buses are still operating from the General Bus stand on BC Road, creating massive traffic chaos.
“No one wants to come to Narwal as it is nothing more than a parking place for buses. People book their tickets from the General Bus Stand counter and take the bus from Kunjwani Chowk during day hours. However, buses pick up passengers from the BC road after 8 pm,” he added.
The general public of the city is the worst sufferer and continue to face the growing ‘traffic mess’ from BC Road to the Jewel Chowk area. But the administration has made an excuse of a multi-storey parking, for which the work is being done.
However, the administration is passing the bucks to each other.
“As it is the project of the Jammu Development Authority, it has to be shifted by them only. If they face any difficulty, they can approach my office for help,” said Rajiv Ranjan, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.
Meanwhile, the JDA is satisfied with the process of partially shifting the ISBT to Narwal, saying that there was less public transport in that locality (Narwal), so people find it more convenient to reach the General Bus Stand, from where the SRTC
and other private transporters ply them to the ISBT in a minibus during day hours, said Rajesh Kumar Shavan, vice-chairman, Jammu Development Authority.
