x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Back Issues  
 
news details
Parimpora bus stand converted into illegal colony for political workers
4/12/2016 12:03:23 AM
Hyder Ali

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Apr 11: It's official now. The state government has illegally converted the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA)-owned bus stand at Parimpora here into a slum for "workers" of a political party.
The slum was strategically constructed in the aftermath of the September 2014 floods for "rehabilitation of some flood victims" of Batamaloo constituency while the constructions picked up in the first innings of the Peoples Democratic Party- Bharatiya Janta Party regime.
Though initially ten prefabricated houses were constructed there, subsequently scores of constructions came up haphazardly on the government property.
Developed at a cost of over Rs 50 crores the Parimpora bus stand is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting, bus bays and footpaths. But ahead of its commissioning, it has been converted into the illegal colony.
Officials said after the 2014 devastative floods when the Assembly elections were underway, an influential politician, having vote bank at stake in the area, allegedly corrupted some SDA officials who were that time in his good books to facilitate the illegal conversion of the bus stand into the residential colony of his supporters.
Sources said a middle-rung SDA official who facilitated the illegal takeover of the government facility was subsequently granted illegal promotion and more lucrative posting. But other SDA officials were "warned" to be silent. "Basically ahead of the illegal takeover of the government property and some other scams, he (politician) got some of the SDA employees booked on fake charges at Parimpora police station, when an FIR was registered… So no one from amongst us mustered courage to resist the wrongdoings," said a delegation of SDA employees asking not to be identified. Sources said the then administration was pressurized to facilitate construction of hutments at the bus stand through funding by NGOs. "Initially a very few prefabricated structures were raised but in the coming months scores of hutments came up, all haphazardly and as now it's a full-fledged colony," said an SDA official.
Sources said though huge chunk of government land was available in the vicinity the construction was taken up on the bus stand for vested interests. "This space was like concrete land with lighting facility and fencing so construction of hutments was easy here as it would come up like a well-planned colony," said a SDA official.
For the politician, it was like killing two birds with a stone. "He (politician) wanted to sabotage the shifting of the Batamlaoo bus stand to this place as it was against the interest of the voters in the area.
Through the construction of this colony he achieved both the targets because as of now the facility cannot cater to buses," the officials explained.
The slum dwellers denied being political workers but thanked the politician for having got them rehabilitated here after floods. This "scam" was being swept under the carpet. But things took a twist in the Governor's rule. Raj Bhawan sources said in January 2016, Governor NN Vohra sought audit of the SDA assets. This was when the official machinery feared to get trapped. Sources said the SDA officials instantly shot a letter to the District Development Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmed Lone to get the space evacuated.
Finally on April 9, when Early Times exposed that the administration was dragging Srinagar towards worst-ever traffic chaos by not relocating the Batamaloo bus to Parimpora, the Divisional Commissioner Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon again woke up to the crisis.
"But right from the Divisional Commissioner to District Commissioner to the SDA VC, all have been helpless. The politician who supports the illegal colony is more powerful in the present regime. So we cannot do anything," the officials said, adding that Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who is also the Housing Minister has been informed about the issue.
The Parimpora bus stand has taken a centre stage at a time when the government has decided to close down vehicular traffic on the arterial Jehangir Chowk Ram Bagh road.
The government decided to go for diversion of the traffic via Batamaloo-Mominabad road which connects to the Srinagar-Jammu highway. But enroute, the presence of Batamallo bus stand has been a major obstruction. When contacted a senior SDA official admitted that the Parimpora bus stand has been illegally converted into colony. "We have asked the DC to get the colony relocated without any further delay as we want our assets back," the official told Early Times.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
top stories of the day
Non-local students continue to leave campus
PDP-BJP cash in on Kher's airport 'arrest'
Clueless, cornered RSS-BJP further annoynation
After losing Health Ministry, Lal shows loyalty with RSS
Panchayat polls: Will coalition Govt learn from Omar's mistakes?
Will BJP declassify files relating to death of Mookerjee?
PDD demolishes 100-yr-old heritage site in Srinagar
Kashmir BJP leaders promise contracts, jobs to people
Cong MLC in soup, seeks bribe from ex-serviceman
JU students intercept senior cop's cavalcade
Cabinet orders transfer, posting of officers
Consumers to get additional 5 kg ration per soul
J&K Budget Session to begin from May 25 in Srinagar
Cabinet approves constitution of 4 GoM
Cabinet approves additional Pension to Old, Family Pensioners
Hashmat new Pvt Secy to CM, M K Dhar is PRO
My wife has illicit relation with Havaldar, alleges cop
SHO among six cops injured in stone pelting, mob resists detainment
Govt succumbs under pressure, lets defaulter off the hook
Non supply of ration to migrants may lead many to starve: Exiled community
RDD to 'discourage' SCs from participating in panchayat polls
Soz skips Ambika, Mir rally in Srinagar
PHE deptt gives undue benefit to contractors
People drink water from nullahs in Udhampur
Parimpora bus stand converted into illegal colony for political workers
Hari Om's view divides RSS ideologues
Habba Kadal to host 20 marriages in May but no space to celebrate
ULB official suspended for making trip to sectt without permission
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU