Er. Mohammad Ashraf Fazili
SRINAGAR THE SUNCITY
In the nomenclature of Srinagar, Sri stands for Sun and Nagar for city, hence Srinagar is a SUNCITY or in Arabic language MADINAT-U-SHAMAS, which has a history of development of about 23 centuries and it will continue to develop spatially, geographically, population-wise, culturally, and spiritually etc., in times ahead.
In this connection I may quote on a brighter note translation of a verse from Sayid Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA):
“The Sun of earlier People have set, and Our Sun shall continue to shine on high horizon, and it will never set.”
URBAN DESIGN
We are told that Urban Design theory deals primarily with the design and management of a public space and the very public spaces are experienced and used. Here public space includes the totality of spaces used freely on a day-to-day basis by the public, such as streets, plazas, parks, and public infrastructure. Some aspects of privately owned spaces such as building facades or domestic gardens, also contribute to public space and are therefore also considered by urban design theory.
Here I present my views on the urban planning of past half a century as experienced by me during the tenure of my service in J&K PWD.
It is in 2018 when IEI J&K State Centre deliberated on Draft Master Plan-2035 twice when I was the Chairman IEI J&KSC. Madam Asya Naqash Hon’ble MOS Housing, Er. Khurshid Ahmad Ganai IAS & Mr. Fayaz Ahmad Khan CTP graced one occasion and Mr. Mohammad Shafi Pandit IAS and Mr. Saleem Beg of INTAC graced the other event. The IEI presented its recommendations during the deliberations which are on record and need not be repeated here.
We are aware that Srinagar city has a long history of 23 centuries starting from King Ashoka 272 BC to-date. Its chronology of development has been recorded in detail. Almost all the kings including Budshah 1429-70 AD developed the city at a higher altitude safe from floods, but it was during Dogra rule during 1846-1947, when embankments were built on river Jhelum on the advice of British engineers and the city center came up in the flood prone zone of Lal Chowk. In fact, Sir Walter Lawrence, the then settlement Commissioner lamented saying that it was a great mistake to restrict the regime width of river Jhelum as one day it will cut across its banks and flood the city, which proved true after a century in 2014. The IEI deliberated on the issue and made its recommendations on temporary and permanent measures to the Govt. subsequently.
Srinagar Municipality was established in Dogra rule in 1886. Its spatial size increased from 24.52 sq. kms in 1951 to 91.61 sq. kms in 1971, 187.67 sq. kms in 1981 to 415 sq. kms in 2011 and now the urban growth of the city is estimated at 766 sq. kms. The population grew from 2.46 lakh, 5.94 lakh, 17.27 lakh and now 35.70 lakh in corresponding years.
The first ever comprehensive plan for sustainable development is reported to have been undertaken during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh in the aftermath of devastating floods of 1902. After 1947 Srinagar grew very fast, mostly in a haphazard manner. During my tenure of service, I have witnessed first comprehensive master plan 1971-1991 which was extended till 2000 AD and a new Master Plan for 2000-2021 was prepared by SDA and approved by the Govt. for implementation. Unfortunately, all these Master Plans have been plans on the shelf in absence of an Apex agency to ensure periodical review, its implementation, and achievements of targets, monitoring of urban growth and development as per the recommendation made there in besides allocation of funds.
Again, during my tenure of service on many occasions I had a chance to interact with the then CTPs like Mr.MS Pampori, Mr. ML Chaku, Mr Naseem etc., when I was Xen S&D Division Nalla Mar Road Project, UEED, Circular Road Project and then as SE SDA. Spanning the period from 1979 to 2000 AD.
I would like to share with you a few instances to show how interferences resulted in the non-implementation of the Plans. In UEED our Chief Engineer late GR Mir had preserved a file in his cupboard where in it was recorded that he disagreed to convert Bemina wetlands into a housing colony as it was serving as a flood lung for the city, instead the area could serve as a vegetable field for the city. This opinion of the Chief Engineer I&FC was overruled by the then CTP Mr. Pampori and his opinion was upheld by the then Govt.
Another incident was stated by Mr. ML Koul Town Planner SDA, when he had prepared Macro Plans and Micro Plans for the newly proposed Buchpora Colony, an encroachment started on KZP road, and a dozer was deployed to dismantle the structure. The same day Koul Sahib received a call from a high politician to abstain from such an act. This resulted in haphazard and unplanned growth of the whole area.
Again in 2017 when Hon’ble High Court referred to IEI J&KSC the matter of PIL lodged by locals against converting the decking of the motorable skew bridge on river Jhelum near convent to a pedestrian decking after investing Rs. 12 crores up to the deck level and after calling all stake holders we conveyed our opinion that it should come up as a motorable bridge as per original design and Hon’ble Chief Justice was convinced on that, but it was surprising that the pertinent file was reported missing by Amicus Curie from the Hon’ble High Court and the little used monstrous pedestrian bridge continues to stand.
In 1998-99 as a Project Director Inland Water Transport on river Jhelum I got the DPR prepared at a cost of Rs. 50 lakhs through M/S Rites when I was SE SDA. The technical and financial opinion of experts of international repute was over-ruled by non-technical bureaucrats. The DPR has been gathering dust on the shelves of CE I&FC for the last 24 years though every now and then we hear that the project will be implemented.
• Again as SE SDA I have witnessed, Mr. Iftikhar Hakeem will bear me out, when Draft Master Plan 2021 was discussed in a meeting at SKICC under the chairmanship of Mr. Iftikhar Ansari Hon’ble Minister Housing. The Master Plan prepared by Mr. Naseem CTP was got wetted by Mr. MS Pampori and there were heated discussions on the lacuna pointed out by Mr. Pampori. The meeting ended in distaste.
In UEED while discussing the Dal Development Project in eighties, all the Xens opposed the construction of foreshore roads that could lead to the urbanization around the lake by providing access to carry building materials. Instead, pedestrian malls were a better alternative. Though the construction of the northern foreshore road came up, the western foreshore road was stopped half way and we see constructions coming up now along these roads despite standing restrictions.
Again in eighties in UEED, I got prepared the first ever DPR for Solid Waste Disposal Scheme for Greater Srinagar city through M/S Universal EnviroScience, where in a Compost Plant was proposed to be built which never came up for the last about 4 decades, instead hundreds of kanals of wetland at Achen Saidpora Idgah got lost to landfill which emanates obnoxious smell covering the whole area around it.
During 1983-87 as Xen Circular Road Project of Srinagar city under Urban Renewal Scheme many roads of Srinagar city were widened but the process seems to have come to a standstill for unknown reasons.
In 1992-95 I was charged as Xen New Ganderbal Hydroelectric Project, starting infrastructure development and the contract for construction of the proposed tunnel too was almost finalized, but the work was stalled for unknown reasons and has not been resumed since last about three decades. The 93-Megawatt Hydroelectric project is so close to Srinagar city incurring low transmission losses, besides a provision for a water supply tunnel for Srinagar city.
During 2004-08 when I worked in CIE, I was instrumental in obtaining building permission for the 5-Star hotel at Shalimar. When I approached the then VC LAWDA Mr. Naseem, though being once my subordinate made me to wait outside his office for hours together, then declared among his officers that he was compelled to issue NOC for the hotel due to a call from Mr. Mufti Sayeed who became the CM J&K State later.
It is hoped that the Smart City Project in progress in Srinagar is in confirmation with the Master Plan 2035 and will accelerate the development of the specific areas but the rest of the city with shambled roads etc. need also to be taken care of.
Though providing parking spaces in basement floors of newly built shopping malls is mandatory in building permission orders, yet there have been violations and no effective monitoring has been ensured causing illegal parking outside the shopping malls.
World class toilet facilities are missing in the city of Srinagar even in tourist spots like Mughal Gardens presenting a dismal picture to the tourists. In this aspect we need to learn a lesson from Gulf countries, besides strict implantation of standard specifications in construction of roads and other infrastructure. I have witnessed a 20-storeyed structure was stalled at plinth level by the Municipal authorities as it was found under-reinforced. The entire foundation was dismantled for the new construction as per design. Another 20-storeyed building was dismantled from top to bottom due to violation of a few feet of height at top floor. Here is a lesson for us to learn.
Er. Mohammad Ashraf Fazili FIE is a Former Chief Engineer