Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 28: National Conference general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar today said that far from acquiring a definite shape for want of proper vision and strategies, the ongoing Smart City works have only added to the miseries of traders and commuters.
Expressing concern over the sluggish pace of ‘Smart City works’ across Lal Chowk and adjoining city areas, Sagar said, “The timing of the massive digging of main roads across the city is being questioned by the local traders. There has been no headway on the city center projects. Given the snail’s pace of work it’s evident that the authorities will fail to meet the given deadline. In the scenario, traders will have nothing to feed their families and the situation will turn dire.”
“Earlier also the business hub of the city witnessed decreased footfall and slump in business activities during Ramzan and Eid. Tourist flow in the city center has already witnessed marked decline and those who make it to the city center find it very difficult to walk through the debris and mud. Rains that lashed the valley have brought the ongoing works to halt. It seems that construction work in Srinagar city will go beyond June and July and till then business community has to suffer,” he added.
Lamenting the massive urban mess, the city of Srinagar finds itself in, Sagar said, “There is nothing smart about the smart city project. Entire city has been defaced. Roads are being choked, regular traffic jams, partial road closures have crippled the city. Ideally the works should have been carried out in a phased manner and by taking all the stakeholders on board,” he added.
Developmental dividends of the “Smart City project” Sagar rued remain untraceable on the ground across Srinagar. “Electricity, water connectivity, and other public utility services continue to remain a distant dream for Srinagar residents,” he alleged.
Follow our WhatsApp channel