Resenting against Jammu Municipal Corporation’s unilateral move to establish a Rehri Market along the Gandhi Nagar Main Road opposite St Mary’s Garrison Church, the local residents of A-Block comprising House Nos. 1 to 80 registered their strong protest by submitting a memorandum to JMC Commissioner, Mandeep Kour demanding immediate rescinding of the orders regarding the proposed market.While calling on JMC Commissioner, the residents’ deputation raised apprehension that with the setting up of this market, the residents shall be forced to face hardships including nuisance, solid waste pollution, traffic hazard and threat to security of the nearby houses against thefts etc. “We are already suffering a lot because of limited parking space in front of our houses. This move is surely going to clog our lanes and streets a step further”, the deputationists rued.
The deputation also made an apprehension that aforesaid bye-lane earmarked for Rehri Market is a pedestrian’s path and this move will surely going to push the pedestrians towards the main road posing a great risk of being hit by fast commuting vehicles. “There is a small Drain (Nallah) adjacent to the said bye-lane which remains choked most of the times. It cannot be ruled out that most of the garbage generated by these Rehris will be thrown in this Nallah thereby further aggravating its condition. Due to this choked drain(Nallah), water gets overflowed during raining season and enters the nearby houses causing much inconvenience and damage”, the deputation submitted and asked the JMC Commissioner to revisit her decision to ensure that concerned residents do not get affected with this decision taken without taking them into confidence. The residents reiterated that the proposed Rehri Market may be shifted to any other convenient place where it may not cause any hardship to the general public.Justifying her move to set-up this market for regularizing the Rehriwallahs ensuring their welfare, the JMC Commissioner assured the deputation that soon she will visit the spot to take stock of the position.