Locals Block BC Road in Jammu, Demand Restoration of Water & Power Amid Crisis

A view of the traffic jam at BC Road near Rehari caused by the protest. Photo credit: Excelsior/Rakesh

Jammu, Sept 6: Hundreds of residents blocked BC Road near Rehari today, staging a demonstration for hours against the prolonged water and power crisis affecting large parts of the Jammu district. The protesters, led by MLA Jammu West Arvind Gupta, accused the NC-Congress administration of dragging its feet in restoring essential services disrupted by recent heavy rainfall and flooding.

Broken Promises and No Relief

Local residents decried that water supply has remained cut off for 10–12 days in several wards, especially Wards 24, 25, 26, and 39. The agitated crowd rejected the government's claim that 80% of areas have been restored and that nearly 600 tankers are deployed. They argued that neither water supply has truly resumed in most areas, nor are tankers reaching all households—especially narrow-lane localities making tanker access impossible.

MLA's Ferocious Critique

MLA Arvind Gupta sharply criticized the administration and the Jal Shakti Department for lack of a “Plan B.” He also called out the dysfunctional toll-free water helplines and non-cooperative PHE officials, saying people were being continuously misled with assurances that never materialized.

Administration’s Response

PHE Minister Javed Ahmed Rana defended recovery efforts, stating that damaged filtration plants at Boria, Tawi, and Sitlee are now functional, and the filtration plant at Manda will resume operations by tomorrow evening or early Monday. Acknowledging delays in response, he appealed for public cooperation amid one of the worst disaster crises in recent memory.

Protest Called Off — With Promises

The protest was called off around 7 PM after authorities assured that citizen grievances would be addressed. However, the demonstration underscores deep public frustration and lack of trust in official updates during recovery operations.

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Source: Daily Excelsior (Read Original)

Labels: Water Crisis, Power Cuts, BC Road Protest, Jammu West, Deluge Recovery

Tags: #Jammu #WaterShortage #PowerCrisis #Protest #DailyExcelsior

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