Shrinking Footpaths: A Big Problem

Footpaths are important because they let people walk safely on roads, giving them a special place to move around. But in Jammu, these footpaths are becoming smaller and narrower over time. This is happening because shops, street vendors, parked cars, and other things are taking up the space meant for walking. Because of this, people, including children, are forced to walk on busy roads where vehicles are moving fast, which makes accidents, injuries, and even deaths more likely. This issue is getting worse quickly and is affecting everyday life. For example, in places like Purani Mandi in the old city, street sellers often set up their stalls directly on the footpaths in the morning, making it impossible to walk through. Also, many of these footpaths don't have proper ramps, which makes it hard for people using wheelchairs, strollers, or those with walking difficulties to use them.

This makes it very hard and annoying for elderly people, young kids, pregnant women, and those with disabilities to move around safely in their local areas. The government has set clear rules about keeping footpaths clean and open, but local officials often fail to follow them properly because of corruption or not having enough money. Even when courts strongly tell these authorities to remove the blockages and fix the situation, the changes don't stay for long. The same problem happens again within a few days. At the same time, there's a serious lack of proper parking spaces in Jammu, which leads more people to take over footpaths illegally. Because of all this, the footpaths are not kept clean, safe, and open as they should be, which breaks important city laws and hurts the basic rights of all citizens to use them freely.

Now, let's look at Jammu city areas, where the problems are especially serious and clearly seen in daily life. Busy places like BC Road, Rehari, City Chowk, Canal Road, and others have almost no space left for safe walking. Vendors with their carts, parked bikes, scooters, and illegal shop extensions fully block the footpaths from morning till late at night. People living in these areas and those who travel through them often express strong frustration about this ongoing issue. It makes simple tasks like buying groceries, going to work, or taking a family trip difficult and stressful, as there's always a worry about safety. For instance, just on December 15, 2025, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) took strong and decisive action by breaking down numerous illegal structures and stalls to free up much-needed space along BC Road and other equally crowded areas in the city. In addition, JMC has recently launched major anti-encroachment drives across various city zones, working tirelessly to restore footpaths and reclaim precious road space for the public's benefit.

Moreover, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court issued a firm and landmark order in June 2025 to immediately remove all commercial encroachments from key roads like Rehari and surrounding areas, emphasizing the urgent need for regular cleanup drives every two weeks, zero tolerance for any pathway blockages whatsoever, and a strict minimum width of 1.5 meters to ensure truly safe walking for all citizens regardless of ability. Local traders in Jammu welcomed this important decision as a positive step forward for business and safety, but unfortunately, problems tend to return quickly due to inconsistent follow-up, limited manpower, and sometimes political pressures.

Although the city has started adding helpful underpasses for safer road crossings, such as the newly opened JMC pedestrian subway, these isolated measures alone are still not sufficient to fully address the massive scale and urgency of the ongoing problem. The bad effects of these shrinking footpaths are quite clear and far-reaching across society. They hurt public health in multiple ways because people walk less often for exercise or necessity, rely excessively on private cars and bikes, and cities become dirtier with increased air pollution from extra vehicles. While the government does have various plans, Smart City projects, and initiatives in place to improve infrastructure, they often fail to deliver real, tangible results on the ground due to poor coordination. Courts continue to demand thorough audits, regular checks, and dedicated regulated areas for sellers to operate fairly. Some cleanup operations do provide much-needed temporary relief and hope to residents, but sustained, long-term efforts with community involvement are essential for creating lasting change that benefits everyone.

To address this properly and for good, officials need to start by strictly following and applying all current rules without making any exceptions or delays. They should also quickly set up well-organized areas for vendors, especially in Jammu's busy markets, with basic amenities like water and shelter. Additionally, practical improvements such as installing bright streetlights for safety at night, adding smooth ramps for easier access, and fixing all damaged areas on time should be done everywhere without any excuses. Most importantly, future city planning should always consider walkers and pedestrians from the start of every project. This means using Smart City funds in Jammu and Kashmir more effectively and specifically to build strong, lasting infrastructure.

Finally, local media campaigns, social media drives, and public awareness programs can help raise consciousness, build strong community pressure, and hold officials accountable for real progress. In end, Jammu and Kashmir, can become much nicer, safer, and more livable if footpaths are properly restored, protected, and maintained as a top priority. Every single walker, from young students to senior citizens, deserves this basic human right without compromise, so there should be no more excuses or delays in taking bold, immediate action to make it happen.

 

 

Critical Time For Congress In 2026

The Congress party faces significant political challenges in 2026, as it struggles to transform its gains from the 2024 and 2025 elections into a revival plan. After performing better than expected in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and some state elections, the party now confronts a tough landscape dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and powerful regional players. Key state assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, combined with crucial Rajya Sabha vacancies in 2026, will put immense pressure on Congress. A major turning point is the party's planned "MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan" (Save MGNREGA Campaign), protesting the BJP's Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Bill), which replaces the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Without bold reforms, Congress risks further decline in a polarized political environment. At the national level, Congress faces persistent leadership uncertainties and organizational weaknesses that erode public trust. For instance, questions still linger about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's roles and the high command's ability to project a united, decisive front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Many voters and analysts doubt whether Congress can offer a credible alternative government in 2029, given its history of internal factionalism. Additionally, the party's agenda remains unclear, focusing more on criticizing BJP policies—like the MGNREGA name change. Instead of bringing more youth leaders on top positions in the party, Congress often resorts to mere anti-BJP rhetoric.

Moreover, years of electoral setbacks have hollowed out Congress's grassroots machinery. Weak booth-level cadres in key states mean the party would again struggle to convert anti-incumbency sentiment into actual votes and seats. In 2024, it managed a vote share increase partly through alliances within the INDIA bloc, but sustaining this requires massive investment in young local leadership, membership drives, and digital outreach. Without refreshing its organizational base, recent successes could prove momentary, leaving Congress vulnerable to the BJP's superior election machinery and resource mobilization. Building cadre depth requires cultural change; empowering state units and holding veteran leaders accountable could help rebuild worker-level loyalty within the party. Alliance dynamics within the INDIA bloc present another major dilemma because of mistrust and competing ambitions. Regional parties like Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and others fear that a resurgent Congress will encroach on their voter bases. As a result, negotiations over seat-sharing for polls often turn controversial, with allies demanding unequal considerations. The BJP exploits these cracks by branding Congress a "parasite" that weakens opposition unity, encouraging regional leaders to go solo or realign. For example, in Bihar's recent elections, Nitish Kumar highlighted how fragile these partnerships are.

The INDIA coalition members disagree on many issues and small details. Creating a national program is tough because of different opinions among alliance partners, which is even visible in J&K politics. This makes it hard to reach an agreement. In states like West Bengal and Kerala, Congress faces competition from groups like the TMC and the Left, who also fight against the BJP. This creates a problem: working together nationally against Modi means making many compromises that weaken Congress's unique identity. To move forward, the Congress party needs to focus on practical talks on issues that affect the whole country. State elections in 2026 will intensify this, testing Congress's survival instincts rather than focusing only on total victory prospects.

In Assam and Puducherry, the BJP-led NDA holds strong advantages, backed by welfare schemes and Hindu vote consolidation. MGNREGA protests could not impact the BJP if the campaign was not made strategic. In West Bengal, the party faces TMC's machinery on one side and BJP's rising Hindutva wave on the other, forcing tough choices on targeting Mamata or Narendra Modi. Tamil Nadu's DMK and Kerala's contest between Left and Congress allies complicates matters further in Southern India. These polls are existential battles for Congress, where failure could signal irrelevance, prompting defections and ally desertions. Yet, opportunities exist amid widespread discontent over economic slowdowns and governance lapses that could boost opposition turnout if Congress invests in targeting swing voters through social media and door-to-door canvassing tied to the campaign.

The Rajya Sabha elections present a key moment, with about 75 seats becoming vacant in 2026. These indirect elections might change how the Congress party operates in the upper house, especially when it comes to passing new laws and making changes. If Congress performs badly, its influence in the upper house will likely decrease. On the other hand, the party needs to carefully shape its message to show it supports secularism, social justice, and national pride. The idea that Congress is "anti-Hindu" still lingers, which could push away upper castes and undecided voters. Instead of just criticizing Modi, the party should focus on positive ideas like Nyay Patra 2.0, which aims to create jobs and support young people. In short, 2026 is a time for Congress to completely refresh itself: it needs clear leadership, a new way of working, strong partnerships, and a clear set of ideas. If Congress gets this right, it could become a real rival to Modi by 2029 and once again be a major player in India’s lively democracy.