Editorial | Onlykashmir.in
Once again, a few hours of rainfall were enough to expose the fragile state of Srinagar’s urban infrastructure. Roads turned into streams, major intersections disappeared under water, businesses suffered losses, commuters remained stranded for hours, and residents were left asking the same question they have asked repeatedly over the years: What exactly did the Smart City project achieve?
From the iconic Lal Chowk Clock Tower to Khanyar, Sada Kadal, Nalamar, Rajbagh, Dalgate, Bohri Kadal, Eidgah, Soura, Jawahar Nagar, Bemina, Residency Road and several other parts of the city, the scenes were strikingly familiar. Vehicles crawled through waterlogged roads while pedestrians struggled to navigate flooded streets. A city that aspires to be modern cannot continue to collapse after every spell of rain.
The response from the Srinagar Smart City Limited has only added to public frustration. Officials have argued that while roads were executed under the Smart City project, the drainage and sewerage systems already existed and were therefore outside their scope of work. Technically, this explanation may have merit, but it offers little comfort to citizens whose daily lives are disrupted. Urban infrastructure cannot function in isolated compartments. Roads without adequate drainage are incomplete assets that fail the very people they are meant to serve.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also stated that he bears no responsibility for the execution of the Smart City project, noting that he was not the Chief Minister when the works were undertaken. That is a reasonable clarification regarding administrative responsibility for past decisions. However, governance is not merely about identifying who was responsible yesterday; it is about solving the problems of today.
The present government now carries the responsibility of ensuring transparency, fixing deficiencies, and restoring public confidence. Blame-shifting between departments and successive governments cannot become a substitute for governance. Citizens are not interested in bureaucratic jurisdictional disputes—they expect functioning roads, efficient drainage, and accountable administration.
One question, however, deserves a clear and comprehensive answer. More than ₹792 crore was reportedly spent under the Smart City initiative in Srinagar. The people have every democratic right to know how these funds were allocated, which projects were completed, whether they met prescribed engineering standards, and why large sections of the city continue to suffer from severe waterlogging after moderate rainfall.
The government should immediately constitute an independent, technically competent committee comprising engineers, urban planners, financial auditors, and representatives of civil society to conduct a comprehensive review of the Smart City works. The committee should examine project planning, execution, quality standards, financial expenditure, coordination among departments, and long-term sustainability. Most importantly, its findings should be placed in the public domain.
Transparency is not an act of political confrontation; it is an obligation in a democracy. If public money has been spent efficiently, the audit will strengthen public trust. If deficiencies, lapses, or negligence are discovered, corrective action must follow without fear or favour.
Srinagar deserves more than attractive pavements and cosmetic urban upgrades. A truly smart city is one where essential infrastructure performs under stress, where drainage systems withstand rainfall, where public funds are utilised effectively, and where institutions remain answerable to the people.
The recurring floods on Srinagar’s streets are no longer just an engineering failure, they are a test of governance. The rain has once again exposed the city’s vulnerabilities. It is now for the government to demonstrate that accountability, transparency, and effective administration are not merely promises but guiding principles of public service.
