Jammu, Feb 9 — Residents of Jammu’s historic Bahu Fort area have urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Transport Minister Satish Sharma to extend Smart City electric bus services up to the Bawe Wali Mata Temple, citing severe last-mile connectivity issues on one of the city’s busiest religious and tourist routes.
In a collective appeal, locals said government-operated e-bus services currently terminate three to four kilometres short of the temple, near Police Station Bagh-e-Bahu, leaving pilgrims, tourists and residents dependent on overcrowded mini-buses or long walks.
“Despite the importance of this corridor, Smart City e-buses do not ply on the Bawe Wali Mata–Bahu Fort route. This creates a major connectivity gap for thousands of people every day,” residents said.
The Bawe Wali Mata Temple attracts a steady stream of devotees year-round, with peak footfall on weekends, Tuesdays, during Navratri and on other auspicious days. The surrounding Bahu Fort belt is also a major tourism zone, housing Bagh-e-Bahu, the fish aquarium, an open-air theatre and the ropeway.
“This area sees heavy daily movement of both locals and tourists, which significantly increases transport demand,” the residents said.
They pointed out that nearly 20,000 people live across two municipal wards in the Bahu Fort area, many of whom rely on public transport. “Students, office-goers, senior citizens and small traders are among those most affected by the lack of reliable public transport,” they added.
A resident of Bahu Fort said the absence of electric buses on such a high-footfall route runs counter to the goals of the Smart City Mission. “The lack of eco-friendly, air-conditioned e-buses affects last-mile connectivity and makes travel difficult, especially for elderly people and those with mobility issues,” he said.
Residents said extending the service up to the temple would ease traffic congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles and improve the experience of pilgrims and tourists visiting Jammu.
They urged the Transport Department to take up the proposed extension on priority and ensure its early implementation “in the larger public interest”.