Proposed dispensary at Vivekanand Chowk; Waqf Board, JMC dispute over land ownership
Construction work stopped
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Tensions between the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and the Waqf Board have escalated after the JMC uprooted and discarded the signboard of the Waqf Board at the site of a proposed dispensary at Vivekanand Chowk in the heart of Jammu City.
This move led to halt in the ongoing work for the dispensary project, which was expected to serve the local community.
The dispute centered around the ownership and jurisdiction over the land where the dispensary was being setup.
The Waqf Board, which is responsible for managing properties donated for religious or charitable purposes, claims the land as part of its assets, while the JMC insists that the project falls under its domain for urban development.
The JMC personnel, in the presence of officials, removed the Waqf Board’s signboard from the site, further intensifying the ongoing conflict. The dispute has drawn the attention of both local authorities and the public, with many residents concerned about the delay in the development of essential healthcare infrastructure. Efforts to mediate between the two parties are underway, but no official resolution has been reached yet.
As the standoff continues, the fate of the dispensary and its potential impact on public health services in the area remains uncertain.
The J&K Waqf Board officials said that the place, where construction work on the proposed dispensary at Vivekanand Chowk, Jammu had started, was on the land which belonged to Waqf Board.
“Waqf Board has earmarked this space for constructing parking,” the officials said after a dispute emerged.
A former JMC corporator joined by a few locals said that the land was demarcated and approved by the concerned authorities, including the DC and ACR, for the proposed dispensary.
However, the Waqf Board officials said, “This land belongs to the board which had earmarked it for the construction of parking for people. We have the proper documents. We will go by the rules and we will construct whatever the board approves, they stated.
