Srinagar Deserves Massive Development Douse

Asem Mohiuddin
The tourist footfalls to Kashmir are increasing with every passing year and its epicentre- Srinagar is gradually living it’s capacity. If there has been any focus to accommodate the maximum tourists flow, huge numbers of hotels have been built. The locals who are reaping its dividends have began to invest in the sector and have come up with hotels, guest houses and restaurants.
But the city infrastructure is crumbling under the weight. Roads are highly congested and traffic jams are unending especially during evening and wee hours of morning. The city in every sense refuses to accept any further weight but it doesn’t trigger the officials to work out mega plans to expand its infrastructure at par to its requirements.
Infact the story of Srinagar city failure can be attributed to all successive regimes who had no idea of working on it and continued to politicise mega developmental issues.
“Our government is talking about smart City project. This is what we have been hearing for years. But the reality is that it needs a massive developmental dose to bring it at par with other top cities of country,” said Shakir Ahmad, a local shopkeeper at Lal Chowk.
Off late, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation woke up to some of the brewing issues including parking facilities.
Over the last few years, it has developed several parking spaces across the highly congested areas of city including LalChowk, MA Road, Regal Chowk and Jahangir Choek areas.
But the two main challenges of traffic jams and poor drainage system needs major attention.
The density of roads has not been improved for several decades despite an enormous number of vehicles hitting the roads. The pressure over the roads is furthermore increasing when Kashmir is witnessing major tourists’ footfalls.
It is almost crumbling and people are struggling to make their way to their respective destinations.
“we face lots of challenges in handling with the rush of traffic on roads. Traffic manning is becoming very difficult especially during wee hours of morning and during evening, said Mohammad Suliaman, a traffic cop in Srinagar.
Suliaman believes that Srinagar city is refusing to accept the new challenges.
“I have been serving this traffic police for almost two decades now. I have not seen any expansion of the city. It has lived its capacity and needs an expansion to accommodate growing population and ever increasing traffic rush,” he said.
Impact on economy
The over congestion of city and poor regulating system is adversely affecting its economic growth.
The shopkeepers claim that most of the people due to fear of getting stuck in traffic jam and loosing crucial time push them away to shop.
“Normally, people prefer to shop in main city areas where they get enough choice. But in Srinagar people run away to secluded areas especially city outskirts to avoid traffic jams and parking issues. This is how our business gets impacted adversely,” said Mohammad Shafi.
Smart City project
The much hyped smart City project being implemented in Srinagar city needs to be executed with significant pace. However, it is more focussed on LalChowk area where massive digging of roads has left it immovable area.
Under this project various projects already committed by Centre government including road widening, metro rail project, proper and adequate drainage system must be built l.
Such facilities will usher Srinagar city to a fresh dawn of socioeconomic development.
Cosmetic changes over the years have lived its credibility and people are no more interested to get fascinated with it. Srinagar deserves real development.