Jammu, In a wave of public dissent, residents and traders of Jammu, in Indian illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir, have taken to the streets to protest against what they describe as anti-people policies by the authorities and disruptive infrastructure projects by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

According to Kashmir Media Service, the city witnessed a sit-in by Muslim migrants demanding the reinstatement of their migration cards, which were revoked 7-8 months ago, leaving families in distress. Participants of the sit-in highlighted the severe impact this action has had on their livelihoods and their children’s education. They recounted their displacement alongside Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 and expressed frustration over the recent annulment of their migration cards and cessation of assistance, despite their attempts to communicate their hardships to the authorities.

Simultaneously, traders from the Narwal-Kunjwani Bye Pass Road area organized a peaceful demonstration against the NHAI’s construction approach for the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. The contention centers around the construction of a flyover from Kunjwani to Narwal using binding walls, which traders argue will jeopardize their businesses. The demonstrators called for an immediate halt to the construction work and urged the NHAI to consider constructing the flyover on pillars instead, to mitigate the impact on local trade.

The protestors warned of escalating their actions to include blocking the highway if the NHAI proceeds without addressing their concerns. These protests underscore the growing dissatisfaction among various community segments in Jammu over policies and projects perceived as detrimental to their well-being and economic interests.