JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 15: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Jammu, has raised a strong voice of concern over the crumbling road network, damaged drainage system, and disrupted essential services across the region, calling upon the Union Territory administration to implement permanent solutions instead of temporary fixes.
In a meeting of its office bearers, CCI President Arun Gupta said that the ongoing spell of heavy rains and flash floods has left roads, lanes, and even the national highway in a dilapidated state, creating severe hardship for both commuters and businesses. He noted that vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement have been hampered badly, adding that such infrastructural collapse has begun to adversely impact economic activity in the region.
Gupta acknowledged that while the administration had initiated temporary patchwork by filling large potholes and ditches with waste material, such measures were unlikely to withstand another round of rainfall. “These stopgap efforts will simply wash away with the next shower. What is needed is a comprehensive, long-term plan for road restoration and drainage improvement to ensure the region is not brought to a standstill every monsoon,” he stressed.
Beyond roads, the CCI president highlighted that the drinking water supply in many areas of Jammu has also been critically affected, with pipelines damaged and supply chains disrupted. “The condition of water services is dire. Citizens are suffering, and the damage to supply systems has aggravated the crisis,” Gupta said, adding that this twin challenge of poor roads and broken utilities is compounding the difficulties of common people.