Srinagar’s Drainage Disaster: Smart City or Soaked City?
By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 08 July 2025
Smart Plans, Soaked Reality
Srinagar, often hailed as the crown jewel of Jammu & Kashmir, is once again making headlines—not for its beauty, but for its broken promises. On July 8, 2025, just a few hours of torrential rain turned large parts of the summer capital into a waterlogged mess, exposing the critical flaws in what has been touted as a “Smart City” initiative. Despite crores spent on development, the city appeared anything but smart as streets became rivers, homes were flooded, and commuters stranded.
As the rain hammered Srinagar on Monday, the promise of modern urban infrastructure drowned in pools of stagnant water. Residents took to social media and news outlets to vent their anger, while authorities scrambled to contain the chaos.
What Went Wrong: Flooded Roads and Failed Promises
From Khanyar to Lal Chowk, from Nowhatta to Bemina, the story was the same: inundated roads, choked drains, and helpless citizens.
Affected Areas:
- Downtown: Khanyar, Nowhatta, Makhdoom Sahib
- Commercial Hubs: Lal Chowk, TRC Crossing, Regal Lane
- Residential Pockets: Bemina, Hyderpora, Rajbagh
Streets turned into streams as drains overflowed and manholes became geysers, spewing out filthy water. Newly laid macadamized roads failed under the pressure. In some places, water seeped into homes, damaging appliances and furniture, leaving residents in despair.
Commuters in Crisis:
Vehicles broke down mid-road, autos stalled, buses rerouted. Potholes hidden beneath water layers turned into accident traps. Office-goers and schoolchildren waded knee-deep through murky waters.
The Smart City That Isn’t
The government launched the Srinagar Smart City Mission with much fanfare, promising futuristic infrastructure, digital solutions, and flood-resilient urban planning. However, the events of July 8 laid bare the project’s hollow core.
Cosmetic Changes:
Residents and activists argue that the Smart City Mission prioritized surface beautification:
- Tiles over turf
- LED lights over life-saving infrastructure
- Cycle tracks over stormwater drains
“We have beautiful footpaths and decorative poles, but no place for water to drain,” said Zubair Ahmad, a civil engineer. “This is not smart planning. It’s smart deception.”
In Polo View, which recently underwent a costly facelift, waterlogging occurred within 40 minutes of rainfall. In Regal Lane, the stormwater drains overflowed like waterfalls down pavements.
Voices from the Ground
Raw, Real, and Angry
The human cost of mismanagement cannot be ignored. Shopkeepers, schoolchildren, senior citizens—everyone had a story to tell.
“We feel homeless. Drain water is inside our homes. Where are we supposed to go?” — Manzoor Ahmad, Downtown Srinagar
“If it keeps raining like this, we’ll need boats to commute.” — Shopkeeper near Lal Chowk
“We begged the authorities to fix the drainage last year. They came, took pictures, and vanished.” — Hafsa, Bemina Resident
“I slipped on water-covered potholes and injured my leg. There was no ambulance in sight.” — Aijaz Lone, University Student
Official Response: Dewatering on Delay
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) claimed that it deployed:
- 85 Dewatering Pumps
- 97 Permanent Pumping Stations
- Emergency Relief Staff
However, the reality on the ground tells a different story. In most neighborhoods, the water took hours to recede, and help never arrived. “By the time pumps were installed, the damage was already done,” said a local volunteer involved in rescue efforts.
Repeated attempts to contact Smart City officials went unanswered. There was no official press release by the end of the day, further angering residents.
Accountability Crisis: Who’s to Blame?
Urban Planners or Political Planners?
- No real-time water flow sensors installed
- Drainage maps not updated since 2010
- Zero integration between SMC, R&B, and Smart City teams
Experts argue that the lack of coordination, outdated systems, and corruption have turned the Smart City promise into a public relations exercise.
“The government spends crores on contracts, but doesn’t audit execution.” — Arif Habib, Urban Policy Analyst
Climate Change Meets Civic Chaos
Climate experts say that intense rainfall events are becoming more frequent in Kashmir due to global warming. But a vulnerable ecosystem coupled with poor infrastructure is a recipe for disaster.
- Heatwaves in June followed by torrential rains in July
- No rainwater harvesting infrastructure
- Wetlands encroached and drained for real estate
This is not just mismanagement. It is an ecological crisis in the making.
Future at Risk: What If This Happens Again?
If a three-hour rain spell can paralyze the city, what happens when monsoon peaks? Experts warn that if no urgent upgrades are made, Srinagar could face:
- Flash floods
- Disease outbreaks
- Long-term economic loss for shopkeepers and daily earners
What Needs to Be Done
Immediate Action Plan:
- Audit all Smart City projects by third-party experts
- Upgrade stormwater drains across vulnerable areas
- Restore and protect wetlands as natural flood buffers
- Real-time water level alert systems
- Public grievance redressal dashboard with 24/7 updates
Resident Voices Call for Accountability
Citizens are planning to launch a public campaign, demanding:
- Transparency in Smart City budget allocations
- Resignation of non-performing officials
- Inclusion of residents in city planning boards
NGOs like Save Srinagar and Eco-Collective have started online petitions that have already garnered over 12,000 signatures in 24 hours.
Final Thoughts: Cosmetic Changes Can’t Hide Civic Rot
Srinagar is a city that deserves better. A city that has survived conflict, climatic extremes, and economic uncertainty cannot be drowned by a few hours of rainfall. The time for cosmetic lighting and photo-op ribbon cuttings is over.
If the promise of a Smart City is to be real, it must begin from below the ground — with stormwater drains, sewage systems, wetland restoration, and public inclusion. Only then will Srinagar truly shine as the heart of paradise.
