Srinagar Smart City: Dust, and debris lying on pathways reminds me of war-torn Ukraine: former Congress minister

Srinagar, June 27, KNT: Life has become miserable for commuters and the general public due to dug-up and pothole-ridden roads in Srinagar city particularly in downtown areas.

The debris, pipes, boulders, and unwanted material lying on the roadside everywhere have badly hit normal life.

A shopkeeper from Karan Nagar said that the smart city projects are meant to give better infrastructure to Srinagar but here the picture is different. He said not a single customer approaches him due to the dust and debris lying outside his shop.
Senior Congress leader and ex-minister, Kheem Lata Wakhlo who visited parts of Srinagar city along with district president Srinagar Imtiyaz Khan on Tuesday told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that it seems as if war is going on and the city has been bombarded. “Everywhere there are massive pipes, potholes, debris lying on the roadside. Due to this, there are massive traffic jams. We are not against the development but it should not be at the cost of human suffering,” she said adding that in some places she felt she was in war-torn Ukraine.

She said due to the mismanagement, everyday issues such as traffic jams, accidents, and patients dying on roads have been making headlines.

“The situation in Safa Kadal, Cement Kadal, Karan Nagar, Nallahmar Road is pathetic,” she said and urged the Commissioner Srinagar Municipality and the CEO Srinagar Smart City Project, to ensure that dug-up roads should be immediately repaired as planned before any new ones are taken up for repairs and improvement. “This is imperative, otherwise the dust and debris lying around the roads pose a health and a traffic hazard for the people,” she emphasized. [KNT]