Illegal banquet near Jammu Airport high security threat
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In a shocking development, Air Officer Commanding, Air Commodore Gurjot Singh Bhullar on Wednesday expressed his helplessness in taking cognizance on the illegal construction of a massive banquet hall coming up near Jammu Airport entrance, saying the matter does not come under his purview.
The Director Jammu Airport who vide his letter (AAI/JU/RTI/APD/2022/526) dated Nov 18, 2022 confirmed that the Banquet Hall under construction is just 18.5 meters from the main gate of Jammu Airport but shrugged his shoulder to take any responsibility in the matter in the interest of security, despite the fact that already two blasts took up in the area on 27th of June 2021 with no culprits traced so far.
The residents of the area have been pleading for stopping the illegal construction of Aamantran Banquet Hall, as it is in gross violation of the standing norms for being just 18.5 meters in front of the Jammu Airport and Indian Air Force Station.
The Air Force Station has already braved two blasts on June 27, 2021. No arrest has taken place or clue about the perpetrators has traced so far. The agencies believe that the blasts occurred by deploying drones or planting the blasting material manually by the Pak sponsored terror organizations.
Jammu residents are wondering how such a sensitive issue is being ignored, which has the potential of jeopardizing the security of the sensitive installations and the people. Apprehensions are publicly being expressed about continuation of the illegal construction only because the owner is enjoying good rapport in political circles.
“Since the threat perception remains high, especially on the installations like Airport in the wake of repeated drone misadventures by terrorists and their mentors from across the border, construction of a banquet hall for public gatherings near Airport cannot be ignored,” security experts observe.
“We very politely request the authorities to intervene in the matter and consider our genuine complaint as the most sensitive Jammu Airport’s security is being compromised just to favour Aamantran Banquet hall owner”, said a resident.
The local residents, mostly the refugees, are not being given permissions by Cantonment Board and the adjoining Army installations to construct even water tanks on roof top.
“The Air Force Station, which is facing a real threat, is also ignoring our complaint for the reasons best known to them”, the resident added.
Numerous complaints have been sent to the Director AAI, Jammu Airport also but all in vain.
While the residents are barred from undertaking even minor alterations or renovations to their dwelling units, the massive construction of the Banquet is unabatedly going on, rather on a faster speed, under the nose of the Air Force.
Here it is relevant to mention that this huge illegal construction is going on at Khasra numbers 309, 310, 311, which is Bagh Nehri and State land, where not even normal construction can be taken or allowed what to say of permission by the concerned. In nutshell, the construction is being carried out illegally without approval of any agency, violating all norms, in front of Jammu Airport.
(To be continued….)