Trouble in temple town

FEBRUARY 13: Few cities in India are as richly endowed as is Jammu. A river flowing in its midst, ancient forts dotting its landscape, his...

FEBRUARY 13: Few cities in India are as richly endowed as is Jammu. A river flowing in its midst, ancient forts dotting its landscape, historical temples, mosques and churches forming its heart, the majestic Pir Panjal ranges and sacred Trikuta Hills forming the backdrop8230; the city could have been a visitor8217;s delight. It is not and, unfortunately, the downslide continues.

Adding to the woeful problems of the city posed by its expanding population, congestion, unregulated traffic, encroachments and unplanned growth is the increasing threat of militancy. Small groups of militants, intelligence reports say, have been visiting the outskirts of the city and going from there to higher reaches of Udhampur district.

A determined attempt was made by militants to disrupt this year8217;s Republic Day function but the rockets they planted exploded far away from MA Stadium, the venue of the function. The police were able to prevent a major mishap when they detected a few days back 10 deadly Chinese-made, self-propelled rockets, timed to strike the R-Day function, which had been placed at strategic locations ne-ar the city at proper elevation and direction.

Apparently planted by someone familiar with the topography of the city, the time of the rockets8217; activation had been written on the battery components. Inscribed with a sketch pen on one of them, for example, were the words: January 26, 10 am. The police are still not sure who the saboteurs are but feel the work to be the handiwork of a militant who was responsible for the 1995 blast at the R-Day function and later made good his escape from a Jammu jail. It gives an idea about the vigil maintained on the border that he could infiltrate again and walk away after planting deadly devices.

Residents had another providential escape when two Fidayeens suicide squads failed to strike while moving near Jammu University on January 22. Having fled after leaving their arms, the two Pak nationals were later caught along with their accomplices. Their interrogation confirmed once again the militants8217; plan to target Jammu to spread terror and create communal tensions. Two blasts, one of them yards away from MA Stadium, rocked the city soon after the Republic Day. And the blasts late last week have left a horrifying trail of death and destruction.

The problem of security in the city is compounded by the traffic chaos on its roads. Nothing has been done to decongest the bus stand where two big blasts have taken place in the past year. There are no local bus stops in the city and the Matadors, which carry local commuters, stop wherever they wish, often causing fatal accidents. But no one seems concerned.

Encroachments on the roads are rampant and in this business-dominated city, the authorities do not seem to have the spine to take remedial action.Though most of the city is unplanned, the clusters that dot the hills around the Tawi are particularly repelling to the eye. Here was a river along which some well-pl-anned colonies and beautiful pl-aces could have been developed but lack of foresight and administrative will by the ruling dispensations have put paid to all such hopes. Even the so-called planned localities are not self-sufficient and everyone has to rush to the city for even small needs. Only one bridge connects the two sides of the city over the Tawi and traffic jams are routine. Protesters exploit the situation to the hilt by blocking the bridge and throwing life out of gear.

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A refuge for migrants in this turbulent state, Jammu8217;s population has more than doubled in the past two decades. While each war with Pakistan brought thousands of families to Jammu, the largest migration was of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the early nineties. Migrants continue to pour in from militancy-infested areas of Doda and along the Line of Control where Pakistani firing has been unabated.