The revelation that over 16,000 kanals of JDA land in Jammu and Samba districts remain under encroachment even after 14 years of High Court monitoring is not merely a statistic-it is a glaring reflection of administrative inertia and institutional failure. Despite repeated judicial directions, Government assurances, and public outrage, JDA’s response remains confined to routine replies and cosmetic anti-encroachment drives. The sheer inaction over such a prolonged period exposes the authority’s lackadaisical and almost complicit approach to one of the most pressing urban issues confronting Jammu. What makes this failure even more alarming is that on paper, JDA commands a massive land bank exceeding 75,000 kanals, enough to reshape the housing and urban landscape of Jammu and Samba. Yet, in reality, the authority has been unable to develop even a handful of tangible housing colonies or civic facilities. Instead, the lands meant for planned urban growth, parks, hospitals, and public infrastructure remain in the clutches of encroachers-many of whom have allegedly thrived due to official connivance and bureaucratic negligence.
Equally concerning is the Government’s admission on the floor of the Assembly that, despite the persistent encroachments, no special task force has been constituted to recover the land. This unwillingness to act decisively betrays a systemic tolerance for illegality. If thousands of kanals of public land can remain usurped for decades while files and affidavits circulate between departments, what confidence can citizens have in the UT’s capacity to enforce the rule of law? Moreover, the failure of administrative departments to even file Action Taken Reports before the courts underlines an alarming degree of institutional apathy. Such evasiveness not only undermines judicial authority but also emboldens those who have illegally occupied public property.
Jammu’s development potential is being throttled by this paralysis. With a rising population and mounting pressure for urban expansion, the absence of a clear, accessible land pool could cripple future planning. The time for waiting is over now. Accountability must be fixed to enforce results. The JDA must wake from its bureaucratic slumber and act decisively to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the public. Failing this, the Government must step in, or the High Court must enforce compliance through strict measures. Jammu can no longer afford complacency in the face of such blatant administrative failure.
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