Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s second budget, Traders Federation Ware House Nehru Market on Wednesday raised a series of demands, urging the Omar Abdullah-led government to give due attention to long-pending issues related to Jammu city and its economy.
Addressing the press conference in Federation Office, Deepak Gupta, President said that the objective was to convey the concerns of Jammu’s common people and business community to the government through the media, so that these issues are considered while finalising the budget.
Raising the first major issue, he highlighted the problems of traders of the oldage Warehouse–Nehru Market, established nearly 70 years ago as a grain mandi and now supporting livelihoods of the fourth generation. He said that due to changing business needs and lack of space, traders are facing severe difficulties in storing goods. Exposure to rain and sunlight leads to damage of goods, causing losses worth lakhs every year. He demanded that land be allotted near Jammu city for godowns and that a dedicated budgetary provision be made for this purpose.
The second major demand pertained to tourism development in Jammu. The President said Jammu’s economy is largely dependent on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra and Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.
Despite 80-90 lakh pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi annually, hardly a fraction of them spend time in Jammu city. With the Amarnath Yatra also likely to be routed via Sidhra in the coming years, he stressed the need to attract pilgrims to Jammu by fast-tracking tourism projects with adequate budgetary support.
He welcomed the recent initiative by Jammu Smart City Limited to introduce boating in an artificial lake on the Tawi river and demanded that the project be made permanent, terming it a potential major attraction for the city.
He also pointed out that the Peer Kho-Bahu Fort ropeway is running at a loss due to lack of promotion and called for proper marketing of Jammu city as well as nearby tourist destinations like Mansar-Surinsar, Purmandal-Uttarwahini, Sudhmahadev-Mantalai and Akhnoor’s Jia Pota Ghat etc..
Emphasising pilgrim tourism as a growth driver, he said religious sites like Purmandal, Mantalai and Peer Kho should be developed and promoted. Citing the example of Khatu Shyam Ji, he said hundreds of devotees from Jammu travel to Rajasthan every month, while very few are aware of the Khatu Shyam temple in Akhnoor, which holds similar religious significance. Proper promotion under pilgrim tourism, he said, could attract thousands of devotees to the region. He demanded a separate budget for promotion of such religious destinations.
Deepak Gupta also urged the Government to invest in sports infrastructure and develop Jammu as a sports hub. He demanded construction of a stadium capable of hosting IPL matches, saying that such events would boost Sports tourism and generate employment for hotels, transport operators, eateries and local businesses. He also called for development of infrastructure for other sports to position Jammu as a national and international sports centre, backed by a dedicated budget.
On infrastructure development, he pointed out that while the Union Budget has prioritised MSMEs and the IT sector, Jammu lacks proper commercial hubs.
He said local youth are keen to start businesses and IT ventures but have no suitable commercial spaces, with Bahu Plaza being the last major commercial hub built decades ago. He demanded allocation of sufficient funds to develop three to four new commercial hubs like Bahu Plaza.
He also raised concerns over unplanned private colonies mushrooming around Jammu city, leading to civic and infrastructural problems. To address housing needs in a planned manner, he urged the Government to empower the Housing Board with adequate funds to develop new colonies and flats around the city, noting that no major Housing Colony has come up after Channi Himmat.
Another key demand was the establishment of a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu. Deepak Gupta said students’ demand for an NLU in Jammu is justified and should not be viewed through a political lens. He clarified that students are not opposing an NLU in Kashmir but are seeking equal facilities for Jammu.
Arguing that if the JKUT can have two Central Universities and two AIIMS, it can also have two National Law Universities, he appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to officially recommend the establishment of two NLUs, one each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions, to the central government.
Concluding, the President said Omar Abdullah is the Chief Minister of the entire Jammu and Kashmir and therefore, while presenting the budget, he must give due importance to Jammu’s aspirations and ensure that its long-standing demands are adequately addressed. Dheeraj Mahajan, Sr. Vc. President, Vishal Gupta, Vc. President, Abhimanyu Gupta, General Secretary, Rahul Gupta, Secretary and Nitin Mahajan, Cashier of the Federation, Sham Lal Gupta, Former Vice President and Rajesh Bhagotra, President Sugar Association was also present during the Press Conference.