Action Please

Residents seek construction of dilapidated lane in Bantalab
Residents of Ward Number 62, Lane Number 5 (Sec-B2) near Naya Talab in Laxmipuram of the Bantalab area have urged the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to immediately undertake construction of their dilapidated lane.
The residents said the lane continues to remain unpaved and its condition has deteriorated over time, causing daily inconvenience to pedestrians and local inhabitants. They said commuting through the stretch has become increasingly difficult due to potholes and uneven surface conditions.
Locals further stated that the situation turns worse during the rainy season when the lane gets waterlogged because of the absence of a proper drainage system. Water accumulation makes movement extremely difficult, particularly for elderly persons, children and two-wheeler riders.
They also expressed concern over stagnant water leading to unhygienic surroundings and potential health hazards for families living in the locality.
Appealing for urgent intervention, the residents requested the authorities to construct the lane at the earliest and provide proper drainage facilities to prevent water logging and improve sanitation in the area.
Mohinder Singh
W.No 62, L.No. 5 (Sec-B2) ,
Chinore, Bantalab
Woeful tale of Udhampur-Moungri road
The decades old untiring struggle to get the Udhampur-Kainthgali-Moungri-Khourgali road improved is still on. In this connection, in 2010, the then Chief Minister of J&K State Omar Abdullah was also approached. He was kind and prompt enough to issue a D.O No. PS/HCM/857/2010 dated 07.10.2010 by which, regarding dilapidated condition of Udhampur-Moungri road, he assured…”I am having the matter looked into and shall revert at the earliest.” Similarly, to this effect the Prime Minister’s Office through letter No. 25/03/2011-PMP4/324131 dated 16.09.2011 had directed the Chief Secretary J&K State Government “For action as appropriate”. But the condition of the road remained unchanged. Even though the PWD (R&B) Udhampur road was transferred to the PMGSY Division Reasi.
So, I’m constrained to remind especially the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the over all scenario of the road is still extremely grim. The Aug. 2025’s incessant rains and cloud bursts have added fuel to the fire. The road side sliding/debris have turned the single lane road into a narrow lane which is posing great threat every now and then to the precious human life journeying hereon. Moreover, the sharp curved and unsafe road drainage is totally missing. The scuppers are exhausted, crumbled and further deteriorating day by day. It worsens the situation. The life line road has become more dangerous, risky and prone to mishaps. The 19th & 20th KMs upto RD 825 in Village Kalsote are badly designed and given sharp heights and slopes at the most difficult and steep hilly portion. The hapless people of this mountainous terrain are facing inexplicable hardships in numerous ways due to the bad and gravely dangerous road. There seems no end to their miseries. Therefore, the Chief Minister is once again requested to look into the matter.
Swatantra Dev Kotwal
Distt Court, Udhampur
Power cuts irk Suryavanshi Nagar
I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the persistent problem of frequent power cuts in our area. Electricity supply remains disrupted almost daily from 10:00 PM to 11:00 AM, causing immense inconvenience to the residents.
These prolonged power outages have badly affected students, especially during examination days, as they are unable to study properly at night or in the morning hours. Working professionals and business owners also suffer because routine work comes to a halt in the absence of electricity. Household activities such as cooking, water supply, and the use of essential electronic appliances are severely disturbed. During the prevailing hot weather conditions, the situation becomes even more unbearable for children, elderly people, and patients.
The residents of the locality have repeatedly faced this issue for a long time, yet no permanent solution has been provided. Such irregular power supply reflects negligence on the part of the concerned department and causes unnecessary hardship to the public.
I, therefore, request the concerned authorities to take immediate and effective steps to ensure an uninterrupted and regular electricity supply in our area. A prompt intervention will bring great relief to the residents.
Rounak
Suryavanshi Nagar, Muthi, Near Airtel Tower
Need for citizen-friendly facilities in Tehsildar Offices
I wish to draw the attention of the Revenue Department and the general public towards the lack of basic facilities in many Tehsildar offices of Jammu & Kashmir.
In several Tehsildar offices, raised platforms or dias have been constructed for officials, while ordinary citizens are made to stand for long periods before the Tehsildars without proper seating arrangements or drinking water facilities. Elderly persons, women, differently-abled citizens, and poor villagers face great hardship while visiting these offices for revenue-related work and facing such raised dias on which the Tehsildar and his/ her staff can sit.It is a great superiority show for common masses.
Earlier, there used to be a simple face-to-face table-and-chair arrangement which allowed comfortable and respectful interaction between the public and officials. The present system appears inconvenient and unfriendly to common citizens.
Good governance requires that Government offices remain accessible, humane, and citizen-centric. Basic amenities like chairs, benches, and drinking water should be made available in all Tehsildar offices. Public money should be spent on improving public convenience rather than creating unnecessary barriers between officers and citizens.
I hope the concerned authorities will look into this important issue and take corrective steps in the larger public interest.
T.R. Azad
Ranjit Pur, Gole Gujral, Jammu
Near Feed Jammu-2
Urgent need for solid waste management facilities in Peri-Urban villages
I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards growing solid waste crisis in villages surrounding our cities. These peri-urban areas are thickly populated and generate substantial waste, yet they lack the most basic facilities – no dumping yards, no collection vehicles, and often no system for segregation.
At a recent review meeting chaired by Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, it was rightly emphasized that strict compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and Supreme Court directions is non-negotiable. The focus on door-to-door collection, segregation, and scientific disposal is welcome. However, without immediate provision of dumping yards,waste dumping trollies and dedicated waste collection vehicles in these villages, the rules will remain unimplemented on the ground.
Equally important are awareness campaigns and active sanitation committees, along with zero tolerance for open waste dumping and burning. But infrastructure must come first. Villages adjoining cities cannot be left to manage urban-level waste with rural-level resources.
I urge the concerned authorities to prioritize peri-urban villages in their action plans and allocate funds and vehicles on an urgent basis. Clean cities cannot exist with dirty villages at their doorstep.
Madan Lal Narad
CPO (Retd) Indian Navy
(Mishriwala) Jammu