JAMMU, September 11, 2026 – The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) conducted an early morning anti-encroachment drive on Thursday, demolishing 17 shops in the Satwari area as part of an ongoing highway widening project. The sudden demolition has sparked widespread resentment among the affected shopkeepers, who allege that the action was carried out without adequate prior notice or a viable relocation plan. The aggrieved business owners, many of whom have operated at the site for nearly five decades, are now facing an uncertain future regarding their livelihoods.
According to Naveen Gupta, President of the Nai Basti Bazar Association, the traders were caught completely off guard when NHAI teams arrived with heavy machinery around 4:00 AM to tear down the structures. Gupta revealed that while the shopkeepers had received demolition notices approximately two years ago, the drive was subsequently put on hold. During a recent meeting with the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu on September 8—which was also attended by local BJP MLAs—traders were initially asked to vacate within a few days but were later assured that the demolition would remain on hold.
The highway widening project requires the removal of a total of 39 shops, including 33 belonging to the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and three to the Irrigation Department, for which the traders had been paying rent for several years. While 17 shops have already been demolished, three more have been given strict ultimatums to remove their belongings, and the remaining 19 shops across Satwari and Nai Basti have also been served notices. Although the administration and the JMC have promised to rehabilitate the displaced shopkeepers at Gole Gujral—near the Jammu Tawi Wonderland project—Revenue Department officials have indicated that formally transferring the land to the JMC will take around six months. This delay has left the traders deeply concerned about how they will survive the interim period.
The sudden drive also drew strong political reactions, with former Minister and JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla visiting the demolition site to express his solidarity with the affected traders. Bhalla heavily criticized the authorities for executing the demolitions without first ensuring a concrete, time-bound rehabilitation arrangement. Furthermore, he accused the local BJP MLAs of failing to effectively raise the issue and protect the interests of the small traders, emphasizing that while infrastructural development is necessary, it should not systematically disrupt the livelihoods of citizens without providing a viable alternative.
Published by True Roots Media Network