STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Calling for multi-stakeholder partnership in development to assuage aspirations of all segments of the society, senior BJP leader and former legislator, Devender Singh Rana on Thursday sought expansion of heritage status of the old Jammu upto Mubarak Mandi, covering all the interior markets, upwards the historic Raghunath Bazar in order to restore the pristine glory of the Dogra pride but with a caveat that it should not impede the business prospects of these Bazars infact should be done with the purpose of increased traffic to these Bazars thereby restoring their business opportunities as well.
“We urge Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to constitute an empowered panel, comprising the officers of the line departments and representatives from the trade and commerce to draw a road map for this purpose under the Jammu Smart City Project”, Rana said during his interaction with traders of the heritage markets of the old city.
The office bearers of various market associations accompanied Rana during his exhaustive tour of the areas surrounding Mubarak Mandi, the Dogra seat of power of yesteryears. They included Subash Abrol, President Mubarak Mandi Bazar Association, Sanjay Jain, President Sarafa Association, Harish Gupta, President Pacca Danga Bazar Association, Rajesh Verma President Upper Bazar Association and others.
The heads of the traders’ associations raised various critical issues confronting all those associated with retail businesses, which inter-allia included, slow pace of work on the renovation of Dogra heritage project, which has hugely impacted the free movement of the residents, shopkeepers, shoppers and even the general public for nearly two decades.
They complained that the residents and shopkeepers have been subjected to conditions appropriate to, what they stated, an undeclared administrative siege, especially after putting in place two steel gates in June last year.
This, they said, has created a situation where in the complete traffic load to Mubarak Mandi, Pacca Danga, Jain Bazar has been shifted to the Upper Bazar where frequent jams have become a normal feature.
Rana said that all the points raised would be taken up with the concerned departments and appropriate forums for earnest action. He said development becomes unproductive if the stakeholders are not taken on board in the implementation of renovation and upgradation in particular. He said the participatory role of the people is necessary for successful execution of development projects. Earlier Rana also visited Shashvat Art Gallery, a Manuscript Conservation Centre established by National Mission for Manuscript at Dhounthly Bazar where many ancient manuscripts are archived.