Khan Feroz CNI

Srinagar, July 8: A short rainstorm on Monday caused major flooding in downtown Srinagar, shocking locals who say this has never happened before in their lifetime. Areas like Kadikadal, Bohrikadal, Safakadal, and Rajourikadal were badly affected. Water entered homes and shops, stopping normal life and damaging goods.

Residents are blaming the Srinagar Smart City project, saying it focused more on beautifying roads with tiles and lights rather than fixing drainage systems. They say that older roads, though dusty, never flooded like this. Now, after the Smart City work, the area floods even with a little rain.

One shopkeeper from Rajourikadal said, “Even in heavy storms in the past, we never saw this. Now water comes right into our homes and shops. What kind of planning is this?”
Another trader in Safakadal said it took him hours to remove the water and save his goods.

People say the new roads don’t have proper drains. Water stays on streets for hours, and pedestrians are forced to walk through dirty water. Locals are angry that no official from Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) has spoken about the issue.

Many civil society groups and engineers are now demanding a public review of the Smart City work, especially in the Old City, which has never seen floods like this before. They are asking the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to look into the matter.

One young man said, “What kind of Smart City can’t handle one rainstorm? We want answers and action.”