Stuck in Slow Lane | Delayed Srinagar projects choke daily life

Srinagar, May 5: As the development projects by Srinagar Smart City Limited, the PWD(R&B) Department and other departments in Srinagar linger on, the residents in Srinagar areas say that normal life has been severely affected.

People in Srinagar said that the issue has hindered access to vital roads including those leading to major hospitals.

The commuters said that the dug-up roads, uneven roads, and ongoing drainage work had made it unsafe for them to commute.

They said that the already narrow roads now remain caught in traffic gridlocks.

"We are all for development work but the way multiple departments are executing it has taken a toll on us. Most of the roads in Srinagar are either dug up or dotted with deep potholes. It doesn't only hinder traffic but also poses a threat of accidents,” said Adil Bashir, a commuter.

Due to bad roads in the downtown, many e-buses, e-rickshaws, passenger buses, and two-wheelers met with accidents, leading to injuries to many.

“A few weeks back, multiple e-rickshaws witnessed accidents due to bad roads in the downtown. Earlier, passenger buses got stuck due to the sinking of the road near Nowpora. These issues pose a serious threat to the commuters," said Mudasir Ahmad, a resident of Khanyar.

Locals said that the issue was not only hindering normal traffic flow but also hindering access to vital roads leading to hospitals.

The dug-up road at Khanyar leading to Khyber Hospital and other major health institutes in Srinagar is taking a toll on the movement of ambulances.

Recently, doctors at the hospital took to social media to raise concerns about how the dug-up roads were risking the lives of critical care patients, often leading to the loss of Golden Hour.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, the Medical Superintendent at Khyber Hospital, Dr Showkat Shah, who is an expert in critical care, said that this was a grave issue and the authorities should take necessary measures while people should cooperate.

“If a patient reaches the hospital and receives treatment within the Golden Hour, they can expect a near-complete recovery and a precious life can be saved. However, most cardiac arrest deaths occur during this period when these patients arrive late. The hindrance-free access to hospital roads is very important,” Dr Shah said.

The traders in Srinagar have resented the slow pace of development work in downtown, Dalgate, Boulevard, and Mughal Gardens.

They said that it was affecting the business of traders and vendors.

Ayaz Zehgeer of Downtown’s Beopar Mandal trade body said that the footfall of shoppers has drastically declined due to dilapidated roads.

“This has inflicted losses on us. Everyone is scared of travelling downtown because of dug-up roads and massive potholes. The lack of parking space has added to the issue. Those with their vehicles avoid visiting downtown for shopping because the roads are in bad shape. There are also numerous traffic bottlenecks. We hope that the authorities speed up the work so that our sufferings end,” Zehgeer said.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo conducted a tour of Srinagar City on Saturday to take an on-spot appraisal of progress on the execution of several Smart City works there.

He said that these works, being done in the busiest parts of the city, needed to be completed in the least possible time frame.

Greater Kashmir published a series of news stories on the issue.

Chief Engineer Smart City, Abdul Qayoom Kirmani told Greater Kashmir that they would ensure timely completion of the project so that locals experience the least inconvenience.