Defunct drainage system irks people in Srinagar
Srinagar, Jun 1: Recent incessant rains have exposed the defunct drainage system in the summer capital, with people calling for immediate measures to clear the blocked drains.
Despite the construction of a new drainage system in various areas of the city, a lack of regular cleaning has choked major drains. Following the rains a few days ago, Regal Chowk, Maisuma, Hari Singh High Street, and MA Road were waterlogged.
Locals expressed resentment at the situation, saying that time and again, drainage failure gets exposed after a few minutes of rain.
“It becomes impossible to step out when it rains. The roads turn into cesspools filled with potholes and dirty water due to
We were promised better roads and drainage under the Smart City project, but nothing has improved” said Showkat Ahmad, a commuter at Jahangir Chowk.
Meanwhile, traders in the Downtown and city centre expressed frustration as water entered several shops, damaging goods and affecting their business.
“I couldn’t even take my car out during heavy rain spells last week. The waterlogging was so bad that it was difficult to walk, let alone drive. Every time it rains, we face the same problem. It’s affecting our business badly,” said Ayaz Zehgeer from Downtown Beopar Mandal.
Videos and photos of flooded streets and markets, especially at Maisuma and other commercial areas, quickly surfaced on social media platforms, with netizens reacting sharply to what they called the city’s ‘chronic drainage failure.’
Many questioned the effectiveness of the Srinagar Smart City project, on which crores of rupees have been spent on upgrading roads and drainage systems in recent years.
“What’s the use of investing so much if even a brief spell of rain can drown the entire city?” wrote one user on X.
Traders’ bodies and local residents have demanded immediate action from the authorities. We request the administration to take serious note of this issue. Water seepage into shops is causing losses to small traders who are already struggling,” said a shopkeeper.
