JAMMU: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Friday laid the foundation stone for a new shopping complex at Bhagwati Nagar to rehabilitate shopkeepers displaced from Satwari Chowk and Nai Basti following the construction of the Satwari flyover.
The foundation stone was laid by MLA Jammu West Arvind Gupta, MLA Bahu Vikram Randhawa and MLA Jammu South Dr. Narinder Singh in the presence of JMC Commissioner Dr. Devansh Yadav and Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rakesh Minhas.
The rehabilitation project has been undertaken for shopkeepers whose JMC-allotted shops were removed to facilitate the infrastructure project. The affected traders had been paying regular rent to the Corporation and were subsequently faced with the challenge of relocating their businesses and sustaining their livelihoods.
To provide a structured rehabilitation solution, the JMC is constructing 36 shops, each measuring 8 feet by 10 feet, at Bhagwati Nagar. The proposed complex will also have parking space in front of the shops and a toilet facility for the convenience of shopkeepers and the general public.
Officials said the land for the rehabilitation project had been handed over to the JMC by the Deputy Commissioner Jammu, enabling the Corporation to commence construction of the proposed commercial complex.
The project is aimed at providing displaced shopkeepers with dedicated commercial space to resume their business activities while creating a more organised environment with essential public amenities.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony marked the beginning of the rehabilitation initiative, reflecting coordinated efforts by the district administration and JMC to address the concerns of stakeholders affected by major urban infrastructure projects.
The Corporation reiterated its commitment to undertaking development works while remaining responsive to the needs of citizens, traders and other stakeholders and providing appropriate rehabilitation measures wherever commercial or public spaces are affected by infrastructure development.
