JAMMU, Oct 16: Sunil Dimple, President of Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir, on Friday led a protest rally against the proposed construction of a flyover on the Amphalla-Janipur road, warning the government of a mass agitation if the project was not stopped.
Addressing the protesters, Dimple alleged that the BJP was pressuring government agencies to expedite the proposed flyover project. He expressed concern over its potential impact on traders, shopkeepers, business establishments and residential properties in the surrounding areas, claiming that property prices had fallen sharply amid uncertainty over the project.
Dimple said traders and residents were worried about their livelihoods and questioned the lack of clarity regarding the project’s design, estimated cost, land requirements and rehabilitation arrangements. He alleged that the government was hastening the process of obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Sewerage Department and Power Development Department (PDD).
He also questioned the government’s claims that the flyover would be constructed on a single-pillar design. According to Dimple, the proposed pillars could occupy substantial road space, raising concerns about traffic movement and the impact on adjoining commercial establishments. He claimed that the construction could affect multi-storey malls, showrooms, shops and residential buildings along the route.
Dimple further expressed apprehension that the project could take several years to complete, severely affecting local businesses because of heavy machinery, JCB operations, construction materials, cranes and the installation of large concrete slabs. He alleged that marking had begun for road widening on both sides and demanded that the authorities disclose the complete project plan before proceeding further.
Claiming that traders and residents of Bakshi Nagar, Amphalla, New Plot, Janipur and Roop Nagar were opposed to the proposed construction, Dimple demanded that the government place the detailed blueprint of the project in the public domain. He also sought a clear explanation of the proposed land acquisition, the number of affected properties and the rehabilitation plan for shopkeepers and residents.
Dimple claimed that around 5,000 shopkeepers along the Janipur High Court Road could be affected and urged the administration to address their concerns before taking any decision on construction. He called upon the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister to intervene and stop the proposed flyover project until all stakeholders were consulted and a transparent plan was presented.
As an alternative, Dimple demanded the construction of a ring road connecting Amphalla-Manda with Janipur High Court, Roop Nagar, Bantalab and Akhnoor. He also called for the introduction of metro rail services from Amphalla-Manda to Akhnoor, stating that alternative transport infrastructure should be considered to ease congestion without adversely affecting existing commercial and residential areas.
Dimple warned that the protest could be intensified if the government failed to respond to the demands of traders and residents.
Several leaders and market union representatives participated in the protest, including Daleep Kumar, Ricky Bhasin, Vikas, Deepak, S. Kala Singh, Jagdish Raj Gupta, Happy Gupta, Raji Khajuria, Raj Kumar Gupta, Gulshan Gupta, Sonu Agarwal, Rahul Sharma, Shami Gupta and Rohit Gupta, besides other local representatives.