Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir):- Shiv Market, once a bustling commercial hub near Jammu Railway Station, presented a scene of devastation on Monday morning. A major portion of the nearly four-decade-old market had been reduced to ashes. Around 40 shops were gutted, leaving behind burnt structures and heaps of debris where business activities had been thriving just a day earlier.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of burnt goods. Shopkeepers searched through the debris for their belongings, assessed the damage and tried to salvage whatever remained. Many traders found it difficult to believe the scale of destruction. Around 40 shops selling dry fruits, blankets, shawls, fabrics and ready-made garments were gutted in the fire. Little remained apart from ashes and damaged structures.
The fire broke out late Sunday night and spread rapidly through the crowded market. Strong winds made the blaze even more severe. The estimated losses from the fire run into crores of rupees.
Shopkeeper Ashok Kumar told PTI, “We had built our business through years of hard work, but everything turned to ashes in a single night. We do not understand where to begin again or how we will recover from these losses.” Ashok Kumar, who had been working in the market for nearly two decades, said the disaster had put the livelihoods of hundreds of people at risk. Around 300 employees are associated with businesses in the market, and their families will also suffer the consequences of the fire.
Another trader, Mohan, said, “The fire was spreading so quickly that we could not save much of our stock. Employees came here at night and tried their best to remove the goods, but the blaze was so intense that very little could be salvaged.” He said four of his shops had been gutted. Traders also pointed to the market’s narrow lanes, which made it difficult for firefighters to control the blaze.
The losses have come at a time when the festive season is approaching. Shopkeeper Raj Kumar said they had expected strong sales during the festivals because the market attracts many customers due to its proximity to the railway station and the large number of devotees travelling to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi. Another shopkeeper, Bittu Sharma, said much of the damage could have been avoided if the fire engines had not arrived an hour and a half late.
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa, who visited the site at night, said the destruction was extensive. Vishav Mitra, president of the traders’ association, said preliminary estimates indicated that property worth crores of rupees had been destroyed in the fire. Distressed shopkeepers have appealed to the government and administration to assess the losses on a priority basis and provide adequate compensation and a relief package so they can rebuild their businesses and get their lives back on track.
