Rattan Singh Gill
Jammu Tawi | Sept 07: The latest controversy over an attempt to usurp an old Lord Shiva temple land, for constructing a Multi-Level Parking and Commercial Complex by the government agencies, has exposed a total chaos that prevails in Jammu and Kashmir Administration. The episode would surely make the Lexicographers to find out the next level of word ‘chaos’ that people of Jammu witnessed in a series of goof ups by the public authorities.
Finding the culprit and pinning responsibility is what neither erstwhile JK Government nor current JKUT Administration has been good at. Jammu’s Panjbakhtar Temple land Multipurpose Parking Project controversy has sent everyone from Jammu Kashmir to New Delhi into tizzy. Officers of the JKUT have once again kicked the rules to achieve motivated targets under the garb of development in the Panjvakhtar Temple Parking Project deal. Dharnas and protest spearheaded by the Care-Taker and devotees of temple and Dart-firing flooded on social media forced the authorities to retreat and shelve the land-grabbing attempt for the time being. Does Jammu need invaders to come and plunder the temples and its fortunes when enough insiders and some hidden hand were sabotaging from within? This apprehension gets strength as when devotees and citizens at large have been protesting and condemning the illegal and ill-intentioned attempt, sadhus/chelas/bairagies attached with the Akhara lineage or Gaddhi-nasheen Mahant conspicuously maintained silence.
Controversy
A government of India undertaking namely National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) New Delhi has floated Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for development of a Multi-Layer Car Parking System and Commercial Complex (MLCPCC) on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at Panjvakhtar Temple land at the project cost of Rs. 35.31 Crores on what they mentioned ‘on behalf of Jammu Municipal Corporation.’ In their NIT dated 18.06.2020, they invited interested parties for allocating the said MLCPCC passing it on as Jammu Municipal Corporation land, that historically and factually belonged to an old historical Temple known as Panjvakhtar and popularly called as Rupiao wala Mandir (Temple’s floor being studded with old silver coins).
NHIDCL in its Project Information Memorandum said that the proposed site earmarked for development of Multi Level Car parking is located adjoining Panchvakhtar Temple and comprised of 4700 Sq. Mts that included existing parking lot, approach road and other stake-holders and there is an adequate availability of the Land Parcel i.e. 3157 sq.mt. for the project.
Under Project Description clause 1.5, the memorandum says, ‘In its endeavour to provide additional facilities to visitors Jammu Development Authority (JDA) proposes to develop a Multi-Level Car Park at Panchvakhtar Temple in Jammu.’
The Topographical analysis of the site was carried out on 10th February, 2020. The MLCP concept layout plan was worked out and presented to the Principal Secretary, Govt. of J&K (Sh. Dheeraj Gupta) on 12th February, 2020. The concept layout plan was discussed with the Principal Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir on 12th February, 2020. It was decided in the meeting to develop the multilevel car parking with ramp-based system. It was also discussed to use the whole plot (including existing shops & residential building plot) for multilevel car parking. The principal secretary advised to explore commercial area on ground floor and first floor and the remaining floors in the building for parking facilities.
Under clause 6 sub-head Planning Norms, the memorandum certifies that the project observing regulations and shall form integral part of the Master Plan of Jammu-2032.
The Temple affairs got stuck up in legal battle for succession of ‘Mahant Gaddhi’ and Court intervened by appointing then a serving Principal District Judge, Sh Suresh Sharma (now retired) as Receiver/Care-Taker for managing affairs and property of the Temple, which was not liked by many having a hawks-eye on the prime land and property in the heart of city. The affairs of the temples have seen many ups and down in the following years till the present onslaught knocked it by none else than local authorities under the nose of an Administration that has BJP DNA.
The Care-Taker appointed by the High Court of J&K, Sh Suresh Sharma, in a press conference has levelled serious charges against the JMC, JDA and Administration for acting on behest of some vested interests to usurp the Temple land and hurting the religious sentiments of the people of Jammu as they have been staunch devotees of this historically old Shiva Temple. According to him he approached the Mayor, JMC and apprised him of the conspiracy who assured to check and revert back that he never did. He said we have incontrovertible documents of ownership and possession of the Temple over-the land, which these authorities fraudulently claim to be of Muncipal Corporation, comprising of more than 20 Kanals.
September 6, 2020 is the day that should go down in the history of Jammu after the iconic Aug 5, 2019, as on this very day in a rare phenomenon, the whole administration “swung into action” when every officer wrote letters to every officer in a single day and tried to pass the buck.
On September 06, 2020, the JMC Commissioner, Ms Avny Lavasa, in her letter to the Principal Secretary to Govt., Housing and Urban Development Department washed her hands stating that JMC had no claim to the land and was not involved in any such project. In an attempt to bail JMC out, she pleaded the Principal Secretary HUDD to get the controversy at rest by clarification from Jammu Development Authority (JDA) or other departments involved in the said project.
In a remarkable promptness on Sept. 06 itself, the Vice Chairperson, JDA, Ms. Babila Rakwal volunteered and came to the JMC’s rescue and admitted the fault in order to settle the storm. She on her own (suo motto) writes to the Care-Taker of Panjvakhtar Temple vide letter JDA/VC/2020/1688-90 dated: 06-09-2020 quoting the JMC letter which was not even endorsed to JDA by JMC. “This has reference to the development of mechanized car parking near Panchbakhlar temple, Residency Road, Jammu by the JDA through NHIDCL, Commissioner JMC, vide her letter No JMC/RB/PS/135 dated September 6, 2020, has clarified that said parcel of land is not owned by JMC. The mention of the JMC as the owner of the land in the NIT for the Parking, was an inadvertent error, and is regretted. The said NIT has been withdrawn.
Adding some spice to the stirring curry, the VC-JDA tried to pass the buck on the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu saying, ‘The said parking was being developed earlier under the Smart City Mission by the DC Jammu.’ This is an implied admission of JDA’s ignorance about the title of the said land before roping in the NHIDC for floating NIT for Multi Layer Car Parking at Panjvakhtar Temple land, the last date of which was extended later to Sept 07, 2020 vide its NIT Corrigendum –III.
Amusingly, after undertaking this enormous exercise involving huge scale and complexity and when the things got flared up, she now has in turn requested the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu to verify the title of the said parcel of land and assures that any development will only be undertaken thereafter following the due process. The million dollar question remains, as to why JDA did not have adopted the said ‘due processes’ before according sanction to NHIDC to go ahead for floating tenders for Multi-Level Parking Project on Temple Land.
Conspiracy Alert!
JDA VC mentioned that the parking project was being developed under Jammu Smart City Mission by the DC Jammu. This has created further confusion with all the odds to blow into a big conspiracy. Deputy Commissioner, (DC) Jammu, Sushma Chauhan, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Jammu Smart City Ltd (JSCL) shot back letter vide CEO/Smart City/2020-21/434-38 on Sept 06 itself questioning the VC, JDA that why she did not apprise the Div Com Jammu presiding the 6th Smart City Board Meeting convened on June 20, 2020 wherein development of a parking project near the Panchbakhtar Temple on land bearing Khasra no. 351 belonging to the Panchbakhtar Temple was deliberated upon. The Board after deliberation kept the matter for further discussion for the next Board meeting of JSCL which has not yet been convened till the date.
Chauhan wrote that further modalities were to be discussed in the next board meet which was not convened. She slams the JDA VC saying that the project was subjected to tendering on June 18, 2020, i.e., two days prior to the date of 6th Board Meeting. She questioned the JDA VC on why no mention was made by JDA VC in the board meeting that the project was already tendered two days ago.
The letter reads, “This apparently shows that the project figures in JDA’s list of in-house projects, probably under its own or D/o HUDO‘s action plan for development of Parking in Jammu. You are, therefore, required to explain as to why facts have been misrepresented in your letter addressed to Sh Suresh Sharma (retired Judge)? In case you still feel that this project belongs to JSCL, you are requested to explain as to how the project was tendered two days prior to 6″ Board meeting without any approval of the Board of JSCL?”
Highly placed sources have shared with The Northlines that the project land was tendered under the Multipurpose Parking Project model and not under Smart City Project under JSCL. The negotiations were ongoing since a year ago and the people at helm of the affairs of NHIDCL, JK HUDD, JMC and JDA were party to all the meetings. The Mayor, Sh Chander Mohan Gupta, however, feigned ignorance from the project saying that JMC has not to do with this project as government projects, civic body has no role to play.
Considering above, the letter by the JDA Vice Chairman to the Receiver, Retd. Judge Suresh Sharma could be a case of classic misdirection. How tenders were floated for a private property cleared by the JK Administration right under the nose of the Receiver appointed by the High Court has blown a lid on the nasty high headedness and self-interests in the Jammu Kashmir Administration. Pinning responsibility and fault finding is of paramount importance at this juncture. For all we know, there could be a conspiracy in place which requires an independent judicial inquiry.
All attempts to reach Principal Secy- HUDD, VC-JDA, DC – Jammu, JMC Commissioner over the phone failed as they either didnot respond to calls or were told to be in meetings.
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