Amid Smart City glitz, fountains rendered defunct in Srinagar

Srinagar, Oct 24: Srinagar's once-vibrant public fountains, installed at great public expense, have slowly turned into silent sentinels of decay. Thick layers of mould cover these, while broken pumps, pipes, and sprinklers have rendered these out of service.

The condition fountains is a reflection of the poor upkeep of the constructions, installations, and amenities constructed at public expense.

Many neglected basins, such as the one at the TRC Junction, are splattered with green and black molds, while murky waters get spewed up the nozzles, adding insult to the injury. The spot is a major traffic junction, a tourist reception spot, and the face of entry into the City.

In many other localities, where fountains have been installed in junctions or in parks, a similar story repeats itself.

At Jawahar Nagar, the vast Municipal Park that was once a playground for residents, a massive fountain installation was made. The fountain was soon fenced, and later, barbed wires were put atop the fence. However, after all the expenses, the fountain does not work. The monumental defunct construction is another example of the waste of the public exchequer.

Residents have questioned the apathy towards existing structures in the city and the continued spree of spending on similar projects. A resident of Jawahar Nagar said, “These aren’t broken pipes but a proof of how money is wasted by Government departments.”

Many of Srinagar's fountains trace back to the SMC beautification drive in 2017. As per reports, four major installations cost a collective Rs 80 lakh. Although no separate expenditure for fountains is publicly available, by these measures, each fountain in Srinagar could have cost around Rs 15-20 lakh.

Recently, SMC Commissioner Faz Lul Haseeb, emphasised “realistic cost estimates” for projects. However, specifics on fountain repairs were made.

“We will carry out an assessment of the fountains in the city, and see which ones need repair and maintenance,” the Commissioner told Greater Kashmir said. He said he will order an immediate comprehensive audit in order to gauge the damage across all installations in Srinagar.

"All necessary repairs, cleaning, and servicing, which include mould removal, pump replacements, and fixes to the broken structures, will be made," he said