Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 17: Jammu Tourism Action Committee (JTAC) has criticized the state government for reviving the issue of shifting of inter-state bus terminal from Jammu bus stand to some other place. According to press release, an emergency meeting of Jammu Tourism Action Committee was held under the leadership of Inderjeet Khajuria, convener and discussed about the retaining of Inter State Bus Terminal at General Bus Stand. Addressing a meeting, Khajuria lambasted the administration over resuming the issue of shifting of Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) to other parts of the Jammu other than the General Bus Stand, Jammu, which was settled by the then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2006 by out rightly rejecting the shifting of General Bus Stand and then it was again re-settled by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in 2013.
He said that in 2006 and 2013 the JTAC has strongly opposed and exerted pressure on both the Chief Ministers resulting in the cancelation of proposed shifting of ISBT.
Expressing his wonder, he said that sitting VC of Jammu Development Authority had submitted a status report to the court in which she had mentioned ISBT as ICBT (Inter City Bus Terminal), which has re-created a panic among the tourism related traders. The report submitted by VC JDA has undone the all efforts made by the former Chief Ministers and her predecessors.
He said that the Jammu traders are already facing economic crisis due to extension of Railway Station from Jammu to Katra and diversion of Inter State Busses and other light vehicles from Kunjwani barring to enter Jammu.
He said that main hope of survival of tourism traders is lying on the retaining of terminal for busses of all routes, besides ISBT.
Counting the reasons for congestion at BC Road and near General Bus Stand, he said that there are several reasons responsible for congestion but due to mismanagement the congestion could not be tackled.
He said that the plying of illegal busses from outside the General Bus Stand, repair of busses inside the General Bus Stand, loading and unloading in the General Bus Stand and idle parking of non-working buses.
He asked the government to take suitable measure to check all these menace and there will be no congestion even in the entire city. He said there several alternative roads including two fly-overs to decongest the traffic but mismanagement on the part of administration has created traffic mess.
Others spoke in the meeting including Kuldeep Wahai, secretary, Rajesh Bittu coordinator, Devender Chowdary, president Transportewrs, Baldev Khullar President Raghunath Bazaar, Gurdarshan Singh, president, BG Traders, Madhu Sharma GBS traders, RC Sharma, president, Passengers' Welfare Association, Romesh Tak, Rajinder Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Rajeev Gupta, Rajiv Dewan, Rajesh Raina, etc. |
