The long delayed shifting of bus stand from the centre of city to Narwal has created apprehension in the minds of traders of Jammu and they feel this will further affect their business. Already this section is peeved off railways being extended to Katra and if shifting of bus stand takes place the situation will worsen further. Mooted in 2005 the plan had been envisaged to decongest the present bus stand and convert it into a multi-layer parking-cum-shopping complex to take the load from the congested Raghunath Bazaar, Hari Market and Shalamar Road stretch, so that the traffic flow is regulated better and to create more parking space for future needs. Under the plan the bus stand from Jammu was to be shifted to Nagrota which was withdrawn by Ghulam Nabi Azad government and in 2013 a new proposal came up with Narwal as the terminal point and the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while laying the foundation stone of cable car project at Bahu Fort yet announced that ISBT shall remain at General Bus Stand and would infuse Rs 70 cr for modernisation and constructing a new building, parking slot and other infrastructure. Even the present Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also promised not to shift it during the recent election campaign. But now with Transport Minister issuing fresh orders for shifting the bus stand has raised apprehension among the traders community who have been demanding the entry of long distance buses to the General Bus Stand instead of diverting them from Kunjwani. They have reasons to feel apprehensive in the face of falling business share. Govt even if it wants to shift the bus stand should first create infrastructure and provide better connectivity so that people in general are not hard faced and in particular the business of the area also remains undisturbed. Such an outlook requires a longtime planning which at present Govt does not have any.
