Srinagar inundated due to much-hyped faulty Smart City project
Srinagar: Contrary to the India’s Modi regime’s tall claims of development, a major civic failure unfolded in Srinagar, occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where a brief spell of rain left large parts of the city’s historic downtown area submerged.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident has cast serious doubts on the planning, execution, and oversight of the heavily publicized Srinagar Smart City project. In what locals describe as a “first in living memory,” areas such as Kadikadal, Bohrikadal, Safakadal, and Rajourikadal witnessed street-level flooding so severe that water gushed into homes and shops, paralyzing daily life and leaving residents furious.
Residents and traders squarely blamed Srinagar Smart City project for the catastrophe, accusing the authorities of relying on cosmetic beautification and faulty infrastructure, rather than real, functional urban planning. They claim the new road constructions lacked adequate drainage outlets, resulting in water-logging even in previously unaffected zones.
Shopkeepers in Safakadal and Kadikadal complained of damaged inventory and loss of business, as water not only entered their establishments but remained stagnant for hours. “It took us the entire morning to pump out the water,” said a garments trader. “We don’t need LED lights or shiny tiles. We need a functioning drainage system. This project is a disaster.”
Pedestrian movement in the entire downtown belt was severely affected as commuters had to wade through murky, overflowing streets.
The locals said that they are surprised that even after the massive inundation, there has been no official statement from any relevant department regarding the incident or the flaws in drainage planning. Civil society groups have demanded a public audit of the Smart City works, especially in the Old City, which has historically been resistant to urban flooding, until now.
