JAMMU: On Friday, street vendors and shopkeepers in Jammu staged a protest outside the residence of National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah. They were opposing an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), which aims to address large-scale encroachments that have led to severe traffic congestion.
The JMC, along with police support, launched the drive to clear roads and lanes occupied by vendors and shopkeepers. This action sparked protests from many vendors, particularly those from the Kashmir Valley who had set up stalls to sell winter clothing. The confiscation of their goods during the drive left them frustrated and angry.
Protesters gathered at Abdullah’s residence in Bhatindi, chanting slogans against the administration and JMC, and demanded an immediate stop to the drive. Later, Abdullah met with some of the protesters and advised them to conduct their businesses without causing traffic disruptions.
One protester expressed their disappointment, saying, “JMC confiscated our goods during the drive. They took everything from us. We voted for the NC and expected them to help us retrieve our goods and stop this drive, which is being conducted under the pretext of clearing encroachments.”
The vendors emphasized that they came to Jammu to sell their products and earn a living. However, officials justified the drive, citing intolerable traffic jams caused by the encroachment of footpaths and roads by vendors and shopkeepers.
An official stated, “The city has been witnessing the worst traffic jams due to these encroachments,” defending the necessity of the action.
