Jammu: To mitigate hardships being faced by people due to the recent floods, Commissioner Municipal Corporation Jammu Dr. Devansh Yadav Tuesday conducted an extensive tour of Ward No. 56, Gangyal-Babliana and its surrounding areas. The visit was aimed at assessing the condition of the local nallah, which has been identified as one of the major causes of recurring water-logging in the locality.
During the inspection, Dr. Yadav examined the drain alignment, interacted with officials on-site, and listened to the grievances of the local residents. People informed the Commissioner that every year, during the rainy season, the drain overflows and water enters into more than 200 houses, causing extensive damage to household property. They explained that the low height of the drain wall and unauthorized encroachments along the alignment are the primary reasons for flooding. Residents said that during heavy rain water enters residential areas through the narrow streets, forcing families to evacuate their homes. Elderly citizens and school-going children, in particular, face immense hardship during such situations.
After listening to the concerns of the people, Dr. Yadav assured them that the Jammu Municipal Corporation will find out a permanent solution for this long-standing issue. He instructed the engineering staff to expedite the demarcation of the drain to clearly define the boundaries to facilitate the widening and wall strengthening work at the earliest. He stressed to start the ground work without delay to save the residents from further distress.
The Commissioner also made a strong appeal to local residents to extend full cooperation to the Jammu Municipal Corporation in its endeavours. He urged them to voluntarily remove encroachments along the drain, reminding them that such structures not only obstruct cleaning operations but also directly contribute to flooding. He said that drainage problems cannot be solved by the Corporation alone and that people’s cooperation is equally important. “Wherever there are encroachments, residents should come forward to remove them so that widening and cleaning work can be carried out smoothly,” he added.
In addition to engineering measures, Dr. Yadav directed officials from the Health and Sanitation wings to intensify cleanliness and anti-water logging measures in the affected localities. He emphasized that a proper drainage solution will significantly improve the standard of living in Gangyal-Babliana and adjoining areas. He stressed that the Corporation will continue to prioritize the welfare of residents through sustainable infrastructure development.
The Commissioner was accompanied by former Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria, who also assured full support to the people in addressing their issues.
Senior officials present on the occasion included Joint Commissioner (Works) Firdous Ahmed Qazi; Health Officer Dr. Vinod Sharma; Executive Engineer (UEED) Ashwani Khajuria; Executive Engineer Division 5 Yasir Bashir Kichloo; Chief Transport Officer Dharamveer Singh and others.