Jammu, Jun 22: A delegation of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu Region Chapter (PHDCCIJRC) attended a meeting convened by Municipal Commissioner Jammu, Devansh Yadav to discuss the Draft City Logistics Plan and proposed actionable measures to alleviate traffic congestion in the city.
The delegation, comprising Chairman Rakesh Wazir, Former Chairman Vikrant Kothiala, and Deputy Resident Director Kartik Pratap Singh, elaborated on various strategies to improve Jammu’s traffic scenario and urban mobility.
Other officials present included Additional District Development Commissioner Jammu Sher Singh, Project Director of the National Highway Authority of India Anuj Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Jammu Sudha Sharma, and others.
Rakesh Wazir emphasised the importance of vertical development, including constructing multi-story buildings, to prevent horizontal sprawl and protect green spaces. He advocated for a planned, long-term approach to city growth, similar to Chandigarh, to meet Jammu’s needs for the next 40 years.
Wazir highlighted the urgency of expanding road infrastructure and completing ring roads to effectively decongest traffic.
“With the Katra–Srinagar rail corridor now operational, and expected to start from Jammu within 2-3 months, there will be increased traffic to Jammu and Katra,” he said. “There is a need for developing tourist attractions around Jammu to encourage visitors to spend more time in the region and to capitalise on the enhanced connectivity for economic growth.”
Wazir suggested encouraging residents to utilise parking facilities more effectively instead of parking vehicles on main roads and proposed introducing more e-Way buses in various parts of Jammu, especially between Jammu city and SMVD Narayana Hospital, Kakryal.
Former Chairman Vikrant Kothiala underscored the need for creating multiple access points from the ring road into the city. He pointed out that RS Pura is currently the only major connection and proposed constructing new approach roads from areas like Marh, Chatha, and the Camp area of Talab Tillo to improve traffic flow and enhance the efficiency of the ring road. He also recommended promoting nearby tourist destinations to distribute visitor movement more evenly across the region.
The Municipal Commissioner appreciated the valuable suggestions and assured the delegation that each point would be carefully considered in future urban and transportation planning efforts.
