Jammu : Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak, President of Dogra Sadar Sabha, J&K and former Cabinet Minister, has expressed great resentment over the current state of the Jammu Smart City Project. He said that this project was initiated with the intention of transforming Jammu into a more beautiful and modern city.
Unfortunately, the authorities sitting at the helm of affairs have turned it into a mockery, using it as a means to waste public money in the name of development.
Addressing media persons here today, the former minister raised his serious concerns about the preparing of wall paintings at different places across Jammu city under the Smart City Project. “The government has
spent a staggering Rs 5.28 crore on such painting on the walls and pillars at some places across the Jammu city, covering a total area of 2,56,642 square feet according to the right to information(RTI) query.
However, many of these paintings are now in a poor state. The Sabha President further revealed that the massive expenditure on the wall paintings is unjustifiable. He questioned the rationale behind such an initiative, emphasizing that wall paintings should reflect and highlight the rich culture and heritage of the city. “The current wall paintings do not convey properly the local culture. They appear to be a wastage of public money. If the government intended to promote Dogra culture, the paintings should have been designed accordingly,” he asserted.
The former minister also criticized the selection of artists for this project. “The government hired three artists, two of whom are from outside Jammu and Kashmir who didn’t have any knowledge of the local culture and heritage. This oversight has resulted in artwork that fails to resonate with the local population,” he explained.
He also pointed out that the costly wall paintings were created without assessing the condition of the walls. “Many of these paintings have deteriorated after just a few rains, leaving them in a dilapidated
condition. This poor planning and execution have turned what could have been a beautification project into an eyesore,” he remarked.
Highlighting the broader mismanagement of the Smart City project, Sh Charak noted that many parts of the old city remain in deplorable conditions. “Historic areas like Raghunath Bazaar and Memorial of Raja
Jambu Lochan situated in the heart of city near Shri Ranbireshwar temple which has been left halfway, as the large number of tourists including the yatris of ‘Baba Barfani’ and ‘Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji’ coming from different parts of the country are visiting the Memorial to know about the history of Jammu City feeling disappointment on seeing the Memorial in such deplorable condition, he said.
He also appealed to all the Jammu leaders of different Political parties and other prominent Dogras to please wake up and save Jammu City, the capital of this historic erstwhile State founded by our ancestors (the Valient Dogras) before it disappears from the history, otherwise our coming generations will not forgive us.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were Col. Karan Singh (VP), Amant Ali Shah (Joint Secretary) , Gambhir Dev Singh Charak (Incharge Youth wing) and Dr. Vidya Sagar Sharma.