Srinagar, July 8. A massive civic embarrassment unfolded in Srinagar on Monday as several parts of the city’s historic downtown area were inundated following a brief spell of rainfall, raising serious questions over the planning, execution, and accountability of the much-hyped 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.
“This has never happened before, not in the worst of weather, not in decades. What kind of engineering is this where an hour of rain brings the city to its knees?” asked an elderly shopkeeper at Rajourikadal.
Residents and traders squarely blamed Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) for the catastrophe, accusing it 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 waterlogging even in previously unaffected zones.
“Earlier, our roads were dusty but functional. Now they are tiled and flooded. Drainage planning is either flawed or simply doesn’t exist in many places,” a local resident told the news agency Kashmir News Trust, adding that they had never seen water entering shops and homes like this.”
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 SSCL or any relevant department regarding the incident or the alleged 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.
“Smart City is proving to be a misnomer,” said a retired engineer. “Real engineering means studying slope, runoff, load, and community needs. What we see here is a failure of imagination, science, and responsibility.”
Residents are now demanding an independent technical review of Smart City drainage works and have urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally intervene.
“What’s the point of calling it a Smart City if it can’t handle a basic rainstorm?” asked a youth from Rajourikadal. “We deserve answers, and more importantly, accountability.”
As downtown Srinagar mops up from this shocking incident, the credibility of the Smart City project hangs by a thread, soaked, flooded, and gasping for some real planning. [KNT]
