Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday visited the fire-ravaged Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station and took stock of the damage caused by a massive blaze that recently gutted dozens of shops, reducing a bustling commercial stretch to rubble.
The chief minister assured the affected shopkeepers that his government would extend all possible assistance to help them overcome the difficulties arising from fire incidents.
During the visit and inspection, the chief minister assessed the losses suffered by the affected shopkeepers and interacted with them to understand their concerns and difficulties, an official spokesman said.
Abdullah expressed concern over the damage caused by the fire and the hardships faced by the traders.
President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, Arun Gupta, briefed the chief minister about the extent of losses suffered by the traders due to the fire incidents.
He apprised Abdullah of the damage caused to shops, goods and other business assets, besides highlighting the concerns of the affected shopkeepers.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Minister for Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Ali Mohammad Sagar, and other senior government officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit, the spokesman said.
Late Sunday night, the massive blaze broke out in the market and continued for several hours, engulfing at least 40 shops and destroying property worth crores.
Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Javed Ahmed Rana visited the fire-affected shopkeepers last week to assess the situation and express solidarity with the victims.
