Commercial structures demolished in Satwari for highway expansion, traders protests

11/09/2026

JAMMU, Sep 10: Several commercial structures at Satwari Chowk were demolished by the administration on Thursday as part of highway expansion work in Jammu city, triggering anger among affected shopkeepers who demanded immediate rehabilitation.
The demolition comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.
The affected shopkeepers alleged that their decades-old commercial establishments were demolished without adequate prior notice or information, leaving them uncertain about their livelihood and future.
Officials said the shopkeepers had been served notices several times and were duly informed two days ago to remove their belongings from the shops before the demolition. The power supply to the structures was also disconnected on Wednesday, they said.
Most of the shopkeepers had removed their belongings before the demolition drive, they said.
According to the affected traders, the shops had been functioning at the location for around 50 years and the occupants had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.
"We are showing you pictures from Satwari Chowk. Around 20 shop structures here have been demolished," shopkeeper Surinder said.
He said the structures were demolished at around 4 am on Thursday.
"As we all know, under the Amritsar-Katra Expressway and the related project, it was said that these shops would be vacated and dismantled and that the shopkeepers would be provided shops at some other location. But no shops have been provided to us till now," he said.
The affected traders said the rear portions of their shops had been removed on Wednesday and they were asked to vacate the premises by 8 pm.
"When we woke up this morning, our shops had already been demolished," they alleged.
The demolition triggered anger among the shopkeepers, who said alternative shops should have been provided before their existing establishments were dismantled.
The government had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti and Satwari Chowk. An official, however, said the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.
"The shops have been destroyed, but the promise of providing alternative shops has still not been fulfilled," they alleged.
Several families, they said, were dependent on the businesses operating from these establishments.
"Now a major question has arisen before the shopkeepers regarding their employment and how they will support and provide for their families," another shopkeeper, Dushant Kumar, said.
The affected traders demanded that alternative shops be allotted to them in accordance with the assurances given by the authorities.
Congress working president Raman Bhalla visited the spot and extended support to the affected shopkeepers, urging the government to provide them alternative shops without delay so that their livelihoods were not affected.
"Before carrying out the demolition, they should have been given the keys to alternative shops. It will take months to construct shops. How will they feed their families? It is time for the government to carry out immediate rehabilitation of the affected shopkeepers," Bhalla told reporters.
He said the people of the Jammu region were aware that the shops had to be demolished for development work, but questioned how the affected families would sustain themselves after losing their establishments.

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