FIDA IQBAL
Srinagar city was established by Raja Pranavsarena in the third century BC. The city’s earlier Sanskrit name, Suryanagar, has been interpreted in different ways, although it has most often been associated with the “city of the sun” or “Sun City”. Today, the city is known as Srinagar. In its long history, Srinagar has witnessed many ups and downs. It has survived the onslaught of cruel rulers and invaders and, at other times, experienced the benevolent governance of generous rulers. Srinagar is presently the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and was selected as one of the cities under the Smart Cities Mission.
For more than a year, considerable work has been undertaken on the modernisation of the city. While this is undoubtedly a welcome step, it has also caused considerable inconvenience to the city’s population. The question, however, is whether the transformation being undertaken by Srinagar Smart City Limited is truly in accordance with the city’s requirements, its ecosystem and the needs of its residents.
Smart City Limited appears to have concentrated largely on roads, avenues and streetscapes, while other equally important areas seem to have received less attention. The authorities have announced several deadlines for completion of the Smart City works, yet many city roads remain open, resembling a patient on an operating table. In several places, work that could have been completed within days has remained unfinished for months. The quality of some of the work and the planning behind it also raise questions, while post-execution maintenance appears to have received little attention.
The development and upgrading of the once-famous and prestigious Bund is a case in point. The ongoing work and the condition of portions already completed speak volumes about the quality of workmanship and materials used. While the project is still halfway through, a substantial portion of the completed work has already deteriorated. Some of the paving material appears unable to withstand even normal pedestrian traffic, let alone the light motor vehicles that use the surface.
A few months ago, a portion of the Bund near the old court complex was being laid with turf. The poor quality of the turf was evident. Without properly levelling the soil profile, weed-infested grass had been spread over the area, while riverbed soil appeared to have been used instead of sand for top-dressing. Such practices raise legitimate concerns about the durability of the work.
That said, it would be unfair to overlook some of the good projects conceived and executed by Srinagar Smart City Limited. The renovation and realignment of Polo View Market is one such well-conceived project, with good workmanship and quality materials. The introduction of smart buses is another positive step. These environment-friendly buses provide a comfortable mode of transport to commuters, including during the later hours of the day. However, the narrowing of several roads has also contributed to traffic congestion, particularly where buses have to negotiate already-congested stretches.
For more than a decade, Srinagar has been grappling with three major urban problems: encroachments, traffic congestion and garbage management. Unfortunately, very little appears to have been done to address these fundamental issues while formulating and implementing the Smart City plan.
Instead of creating additional road space to ease traffic, many city roads have effectively been narrowed by widening footpaths and pedestrian walkways. These extended footpaths and cycle tracks are frequently misused by two- and three-wheeler drivers during traffic jams, putting pedestrians at risk. In several places, widened pedestrian spaces are also being used as parking areas and, interestingly, motorists are charged for parking by authorised parking vendors.
The plantation along these pathways also requires greater attention. The selection and maintenance of plants do not always appear to conform to the requirements of proper avenue plantation. Left exposed to damage from unruly bikers and without adequate tree guards, watering and intercultural operations, many plants have failed to establish themselves. The cycle tracks on M. A. Road have also developed cracks at several places and, even after repairs, some stretches remain far from satisfactory.
Garbage management is an even bigger challenge for Srinagar. Nothing substantial appears to have been conceived within the Smart City framework to address the city’s growing waste problem. No city can truly become smart unless it is clean and its waste is managed scientifically. Installing a few steel dustbins cannot, by itself, resolve the garbage problem.
A walk through some of the completed Smart City projects would reveal the continuing reality of the garbage menace. The project authorities need to adopt a holistic approach to cleanliness. A comprehensive system for door-to-door collection of segregated waste, followed by scientific segregation, processing and disposal, could be incorporated into the Smart City framework in collaboration with civic authorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Encroachments by roadside vendors, shopkeepers and, in some cases, land grabbers have created numerous bottlenecks on city roads. Traffic congestion and the garbage problem are further aggravated by the unchecked presence of roadside vendors. No city can become truly smart unless encroachments on and along its roads are addressed systematically.
An inclusive rehabilitation plan is therefore required for roadside vendors. Suitable vending zones could be identified at different locations in the city, enabling vendors to continue their businesses without obstructing traffic and pedestrian movement. Vendors could also be encouraged to use modern vending carts and adopt proper waste-disposal practices, thereby making them partners in maintaining urban cleanliness rather than treating them simply as a problem.
The Smart City authorities also need to broaden their vision beyond roads and streetscapes and explore other areas of the city that have the potential for development and beautification. Srinagar’s waterways, parks and open spaces offer enormous possibilities. Greater public participation could also be encouraged in maintaining and beautifying these assets.
The ultimate objective of a Smart City should not merely be attractive roads, paving, lighting and façades. It should be a city that is clean, accessible, environmentally sustainable, pedestrian-friendly and responsive to the needs of its residents.
Srinagar, the historic Sun City, deserves nothing less. The challenge is to ensure that the Smart City initiative does not remain merely a programme of physical transformation, but becomes a comprehensive effort to make Srinagar a genuinely liveable, clean and sustainable city.
The author can be reached at mail@fidaiqbal.com
