Govt confirms Jawahar Nagar, Kursoo Rajbagh, Shivpora as flood-prone areas

Srinagar, Oct 28: The government on Tuesday admitted that several areas in Srinagar, including Lasjan, Gandbal, Soiteng, Vethpara, Padshahi Bagh, Jawahar Nagar Rajbagh, Kursoo Rajbagh, Shivpora, Sonawar, Batwara, and are highly flood-prone, while outlining the measures being taken to tackle the recurring threat both in the short and long term.

In a written reply to a question raised by MLA Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad (Pardesi) in the Legislative Assembly, the government said, “Yes, it is a fact that the areas of Lasjan, Gandbal, Soiteng, Vethpara, Padshahi Bagh, Kursoo Rajbagh, Shivpora, Sonawar, Batwara, Jawahar Nagar Rajbagh, and adjoining localities are prone to flooding when the discharge exceeds approximately 40,000 cusecs, leading to overflow from the riverbanks. The habitations located on the left bank of the River Jhelum exhibit relatively higher vulnerability due to their low-lying topography.”

On the short-term measures to address the flood threat, the government said, “Short-term measures to mitigate flood threats in these localities include the restoration of weak spots identified during safety audits of river embankments through temporary protection works such as the laying of filled EC bags. Additionally, as the flood season approaches, advance preparedness measures are undertaken by pre-positioning filled EC bags at vulnerable locations and keeping men and machinery under stage contracts in readiness to respond to any eventuality. These actions are executed in close coordination with the district administration, DMRRR, and other line departments.”

Elaborating on the long-term and permanent flood protection initiatives, the government said, “As part of long-term and permanent flood protection measures, under PMDP Phase-II, various bank protection works have been undertaken at critical locations adjoining the above areas at a cost of Rs 12.30 crore. Furthermore, to mitigate the risk of overflow, raising of embankments in vulnerable stretches has been carried out at a cost of Rs 2.49 crore, thereby enhancing the overall flood resilience of the area.”

However, the government underlined that complete immunity against floods was not technically possible, saying, “It may be noted that permanent immunity against floods is not techno-economically possible. However, flood threat can be minimised through structural and non-structural measures (Flood early warning and Flood plain Zoning).”

The reply indicates that while a number of protective works and preparedness efforts are in place, the government views total protection from flooding as infeasible and emphasises continued investment in both preventive infrastructure and non-structural risk-reduction measures.