Srinagar, September 18
When the train services were launched in the Kashmir valley on October 11 last year, all 13 railway stations were either least connected or connected through rough roads to the road network outside. This posed a challenge to the authorities as over 5,000 passengers travelling by the train everyday faced immense difficulties.

The situation had arisen because the rail line was laid in Kashmir for the first time, which still awaits connection with the rest of the countrywide railway network through the Qazigund-Katra link.

Train services are already running over a stretch of 100 km through 13 stations between Anantnag in south Kashmir and Baramulla in the north. The existing rail line will be connected from Anantnag to Qazigund over a stretch of 19 km through Sadoora station soon. That would complete the total rail link of 119 km within the valley.

The construction of 15 approach roads to railway stations in Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla districts had thus been a major task. This task was taken up by the Project Construction Division of the Public Works (R&B) Department.

These approach roads with a total distance of over 25 km are being completed at the cost of Rs 177 crore. Of the 15 approach roads, there has been a delay on three links at Budgam, Pattan and Sadoora, which would be completed by the end of this year, said Mir Mohammad Shafi, chief engineer, PWD (R&B).

“These are totally different from other roads, which would have one foot of earth filling covered by 225 mm wet mix. Over it, 75 mm thick macadam, 25 mm semi dense and 6 mm seal coat material would be laid. Of the Rs 120 crore released so far, Rs 103.50 crore has been spent,” said Abdul Rashid Rigoo, executive engineer, Project Construction Division.

He said: “It includes payment of Rs 4.66 crore on land compensation to farmers, Irrigation, Electricity and PHE Departments, and an amount of Rs 13.69 crore for the requisite construction material.”

“We have connected 13 railway stations,” said Rigoo, adding there had been a delay due to the slow acquisition process of land at Sadoora in Anantnag and Budgam (Ompora). It is expected to be completed within the next four months.

“The remaining work on some of the stations of Anantnag, Awantipora, Qazigund, Pattan and Sopore will also be completed by the end of the next month,” the officials said.

The longest approach of 3.06 km length is at Beijbehara, while the shortest length of 0.42 km is at Baramulla. Though the approach road towards Nowgam Railway Station of Srinagar is less than 1 km length like two other stations of Baramulla and Hamray, it is known as the most beautiful road link leading to scenic railway station.

But, the high-tension wire over the approach road to Nowgam station, near the Srinagar bypass road, has been coming in the way of double-decked buses of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC. Most of the passengers have to traverse on foot while boarding the bus, as insufficient transport facility is available to the railway passengers.

Jammu, September 18
The city is all geared up to celebrate the upcoming festival of Navratras that would start from September 19, ending a fortnight of the sharad days considered to be inauspicious.

The business community, which suffered a severe setback last year following the two months of agitation over the land row, is hopeful to make it up in the coming season of Navratras. A large number of pilgrims are expected to visit the Jammu region during the nine-day long festival.

“To attract more customers we have introduced a lucky coupon scheme on a minimum purchase of Rs 500 wherein as a first price we would be giving out a Nano car, the response is quite encouraging and during Navratras we expect more people to come and avail the opportunity,” said Baldev Khullar, president of the Raghunath Bazaar Business Association.

He said to give a festive look to the recently declared heritage market, the association is planning to illuminate the entire market to attract a large number of tourists, “This is the first-ever market in the state which has been given the status of heritage market and we would also be celebrating its 154 years of origin,” Khullar said.

He also said the association would select a day during the Navratras when they would be keeping their shops open till 11 in the night.

“Our main source of economy is tourists, so to attract them we are offering various discounts to our customers,” said Ajesh Rohmetra, vice-president of the Jammu Heritage Society and member of the Raghunath Bazaar Business Association.

He said the business associations of Jammu were anxiously waiting for the Navratras to begin as they expected a large number of tourists to visit the region which would increase their income.

“This is our peak season, during Navratras our sale increases as all auspicious works including marriages are held during these days, the darbar move also shifts to Jammu so we expect a good business during these nine days,” Rohmetra said.

To attract more tourists, the hotels and lodges association too have offered a huge discount on hotel bookings to the tourists.

“We are offering 30 per cent discount on advance booking and 20 per cent discount on spot-booking. This year, we expect an increase of 20 to 25 per cent in tourists arrival,” Inderjeet Khajuria president, All-Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association said.

Meanwhile, the taxi operators in Jammu too would be offering some discounts and additional services for the tourists coming to the region during the Navratras.

Jammu, September 18
It is not unusual for a class IX student to dream of becoming an IPS officer but if that ambition comes from son of a cobbler, it speaks volumes about his self-confidence.

The confidence of Ravi Kumar, a cobbler’s son from Chattarpur who lives in Jammu, stems from the moral and school education he receives from Naveen Shiksha Kendra High School at Channi Himmat area.

Dr Gurmeet Singh, president of SAWERA, an NGO is running the school. Ravi dreams of working toward upliftment of his locality and eradicating the drug mafia after becoming a police officer.

Not only Ravi, but all 410 children of labourers who live in slums around Channi Himmat study in this school, which has airy class-rooms, computer room, facilities of library and laboratory for them, besides a canteen.

From one room in a panchayat building and five students in year 1995, Dr Singh has come a long way to this new building, which was built in year 2000 and comprises 17 rooms, all with donation money. It also got approval for middle level which now has been upgraded to high school.

Talking about his inspiration for the school, Singh says, “I was brought up by my grandmother when both my parents and brother were killed during Partition. I grew up with a desire to serve the poor and needy people, as I myself struggled to stand on my own. This yearning drew me toward these children who would either pick rags or stroll around aimlessly.”

It was not easy to motivate the parents of these children who were used to making their children earn for them, but Singh convinced them by holding classes around their localities. When he got the consent of five children and their parents then he started running it from one room and today, a new spic and span building tells its own story of success.

“Our aim is to instill moral ethical values in these children. We have also convinced the state government to include moral values as a separate subject, but they are yet to implement it in true sense,” says RR Bhatt.

Some 16 teachers who live on meager salary, because of the lack of funds, draw inspiration from the concept of service. Simro Devi, who is pursuing her BA, besides teaching in this school for the past 10 years, says, “Many of these kids drop their studies because of compulsion from their parents and other reasons, but we have propelled many to resume their studies.”

She shares a recent incident where further studies of a bright girl, Rizwana, who passed out from Class X with distinction, was curtailed by her parents but she convinced them and facilitated her admission in a senior higher secondary school.

Principal Vijay Kumar, who has retired from a government high school as headmistress, too tells as to how she inculcated habits of cleanness among children by making them wash their hands and wear clean clothes.

This school, which charges fee from Rs 25 to 140 as per seniority of class also remits the fees of those who can’t pay. The children are provided free stationary and uniform. Also, the school authorities have adopted four children and taken responsibility of their higher education.

The school also brings in dignitaries and visitors quite often to facilitate an interaction with children so that they learn from them and set high aim for themselves.

Dr Singh now aspires to take his school to the next level of class XII and further expand his school for which he looks up to philanthropists to arrange for surplus land. Disappointed by lack luster attitude of government and the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Smiti, he expects them to play an active role in taking his dream forward.

Jammu, September 18
Dogra Placement and Security, a private detective agency set up here two months ago, has received around 40 cases; including those where a spouse has expressed doubts about the partner’s loyalty.

Many women clients have also approached the agency to keep a check on the activities of their husbands.

The agency has opened an investigation and detective wing headed by DSP Shamsher Singh Parihar (retd), a three-time recipient of the President’s police medal.

“After we opened the agency, we have been regularly getting cases pertaining to infidelity, where spouses suspect their partners of having extramarital affairs. We provide them help by arranging documentary and photographic proofs,” said Parihar, chief detective of the agency.

In case, the suspicion of the spouse is found to be baseless, the clients are given counselling sessions to make them aware of the real position. Parihar said: “The agency rescues parents by informing them the real background of the proposed bride and bridegroom and their families in order to prevent them from taking a hasty decision”.

The agency undertakes to provide information overtly and covertly regarding the personality traits of the prospective partner while entering a joint venture alliance with unknown people. The agency conducts educational check by examining the authenticity of testimonials submitted by the subjects for obtaining jobs and also checks the credentials of institutions.

Jammu, September 18
The recently opened complaint cell of the Municipal Corporation is receiving an encouraging response from the citizens. The civic body has received as many as 30 complaints over the helpline numbers that was started four days back.

Going by the nature of complaints, official concerned maintained that the maximum number of callers have been complaining over poor sanitary conditions prevailing in their respective wards.

The corporation started its helpline numbers on September 14 to provide people with quick and effective services.

Among other complaints that cell has been receiving include the menace of stray cattle, defunct street lights, unauthorised constructions, blocked drains, encroachment and of milk adulteration.

With the start of this service, people of Jammu have started looking forward for the better services from the corporation. Earlier, they had to face hardship for getting their complaints registered and solved; now they can do it within a few seconds just by dialling the number at their home or anywhere by using their mobile service. People are eagerly using these helpline numbers for getting redressal of their daily problems.

Ram Paul, a resident of Mast Garh, who had registered his complaint about the defunct street lights on September 15, expressed gratitude to the corporation for solving the problem of his locality on war footing. Similarly, Ramesh Kumar of Talab Tillo area said, “This helpline service is very effective.

I registered a complaint regarding scattered garbage on the main road in my area two days back and the employees of the corporation acted quickly upon my complaint.

I hope they will continue to provide better services in the future also.” Suraj Prakash Rakwal, secretary of the corporation, said all the complaints regarding the sanitation problem had been solved with immediate effect by the health wing of the corporation under the supervision of health officer Dr Anwar Choudhary.

“When we receive any complaint about the encroachment or about illegal construction, our enforcement wing takes quick action,” he said. He further said, “People have welcomed this step and are availing the facility actively and enthusiastically.”

Though the helpline numbers of health officer and of municipal veterinary officer (MVO) published in one of the newspaper were wrong, the helpline number 2571308 is actively registering the grievances of the people. The actual numbers of health officer and MVO are 9419180868 and 9419102797, respectively.

Hundreds of shops found on the main road to the Srinagar International Airport were ordered shut by the Mufti Sayeed Government after he took over power in 2002. The reason was that they were in violation of the guidelines governing the international airports.