Dilapidated Muradpur-Chanwari Road puts lives at risk
The Muradpur-Chanwari road in Rajouri has become a symbol of longstanding negligence, forcing more than one lakh residents to travel daily on a stretch filled with deep potholes, broken patches, and uneven surfaces. What should have been a lifeline for thousands has now turned into a dangerous route, causing frustration and fear among locals.
Residents from Muradpur village shared their anguish, stating that the road has not seen proper maintenance for years. Repeated appeals to concerned authorities have failed to bring any visible action on the ground. “We have been raising this issue again and again, but nothing changes. The road is getting worse with every passing month,” said a local resident.
During the rainy season, the condition becomes even more alarming. Water accumulates inside the potholes, making it difficult for vehicles to navigate safely. Locals report frequent incidents of two-wheelers skidding, school children struggling to travel, and patients facing delays in reaching hospitals due to the poor road condition. The deteriorated road has also impacted transportation of essential goods, daily commuters, and emergency services. Public transport drivers complain that their vehicles suffer regular damage, increasing financial burdens on them.
Residents are now demanding urgent intervention from the district administration, calling for the road to be repaired and upgraded at the earliest. “This is not just a road issue; it is a safety issue. Every day we travel with fear. The administration must act now,” another villager said.
As the situation worsens, people in Muradpur and the adjoining areas hope that their long-ignored plea for a safe and motorable road will finally be heard.
Amit Sharma
Rajouri
Public Park of Industrial Area Battal Ballian, Udhampur – locked and neglected
We wish to draw the attention of the District Administration Udhampur and the SICOP department towards the neglected condition of the public park located in the Industrial Area, Battal Ballian.
The park, constructed by SICOP many years ago, has unfortunately remained locked and has not been thrown open for public use till date. This defeats the very purpose for which it was created.
It is important to highlight that there are many Red Cross units and cement industries operating in this industrial belt. Around 70 such units are functional in the area, and each one contributes lakhs of rupees annually under CSR. However, due to the prolonged closure and poor upkeep of the park, this potential community asset remains unused, leading to wastage of public resources.
The condition of the park is so poor that it reflects sheer neglect by the SICOP department, resulting in a loss of several lakhs of rupees to the Government and depriving the local population of a much-needed recreational space.
We request the concerned authorities to take immediate action to renovate, open, and maintain the park for public use at the earliest.
K. Kumar
Udhampur
Strengthening vulnerable patches on NH stretch
Though the repair work on the National Highway stretch from Hari Palace to Nagrota is presently underway, the attention of the concerned authorities is earnestly drawn towards certain vulnerable patches along this route. These specific portions of the road get damaged frequently, often turning into depressions and potholes that pose a serious risk to vehicles. Motorists suffer unnecessary wear and tear, and at times, sudden jerks caused by these patches may even lead to mishaps.
To ensure durability and smooth passage, it is strongly recommended that proper tile work or similar long-lasting surfacing be undertaken at these locations. Such measures would help these stretches withstand the vagaries of weather, rainfall, and the heavy rush of vehicular traffic. Strengthening them now will prevent repeated damage, reduce maintenance costs, and greatly enhance the safety of commuters.
It is therefore requested that the concerned department take immediate cognizance of the issue and initiate suitable corrective action at the earliest.
Vikram Singh
Nagrota
Unsafe and unplanned electrical installation endangering a Senior Citizen’s home
I seek to draw urgent attention to an incident in Shastri Nagar, Pawan Chowk, where an 89-year-old woman, a lifelong contributor to Jammu’s education system, is facing serious risk due to an unplanned and unsafe electrical installation raised directly against her boundary wall.
A massive high-tension structure has been erected right at the corner of her residential property at 245 Shastri Nagar, inches away from her home and garden. This installation has been carried out without any notice, consultation, or consideration for the safety of the residents, especially a senior citizen who lives alone after the passing of her husband and son.
In the name of development, the basic principles of planning, distance, and public safety appear to have been ignored. What makes the situation even more concerning is that there is a large open park barely 50 metres away, a perfectly suitable and safe location for such infrastructure. Instead, this structure has been placed at a spot where hundreds of people stand daily at the local matador stop, exposing them to unnecessary high-voltage risk.
This is not just about one home. It is about a neighborhood, a busy junction, and the rising concern of residents who now fear electrical faults, sparks, or accidents in a densely populated area. The family does not know which contractor or agency initiated the work. No public information was displayed. No safety guidelines were shared. No environmental or residential clearance seems to have been followed. A woman who spent decades shaping the minds of Jammu’s children is now forced to live with a towering metal structure pressed against her wall, a structure that could have easily been placed in an open public space with zero risk to life or property.
Premlata Arora,
Shastri Nagar, Jammu
Factories becoming open dumping ground in Bari Brahmana
In areas like Bari Brahmana, Gangyal, and Satwari, residents complain that heaps of garbage, plastic waste, and chemical residue are being dumped in open spaces and near drains. At night, waste and sewage from factories are often released into water channels, polluting nearby fields and water sources.
“The smell is unbearable and the drains are black with chemical waste,” said a local shopkeeper near Bari Brahmana. “No one is listening – this place is slowly becoming a dumping yard.” And looking like people living in hell.
Many factory owners reportedly use vacant plots and roadside areas to dispose of solid waste and by-products. Without a proper waste collection system, industrial areas have become eyesores filled with plastic, metal scraps, and untreated effluents.
Water and Air Under Threat
The pollution is not limited to land. Local drains and streams that once carried clean water are now choked with industrial waste. , Experts warn that this is contaminatingground water and affecting nearby villages that depend on borewells and wells for daily use. Air quality is also deteriorating. There are so many factories that are burning leftover materials and open dumping of waste release smoke and dust into the atmosphere, leading to respiratory problems among local residents. Doctors from nearby health centres have reported a rise in asthma, throat infections, and skin allergies.
Children and the elderly are the worst affected. Continuous exposure to polluted air and foul odour has made daily life difficult. In some localities, residents have even started moving away to escape the worsening conditions. Therefore, it is requested that necessary steps be taken to overcome this problem.
Krishna Singh
Jammu