Few hours of rains turn Srinagar streets into virtual pools

Srinagar: A few hours of rain on Thursday turned the streets of Srinagar into virtual pools, leaving the local residents annoyed, who raised concerns about the slow progress of the Smart City project.
The key areas such as Khawaja Bazar, MA Road, Lal Chowk, Boulevard Road near SKICC and Sonwar Road were among the most affected areas.
The downpour led to severe waterlogging, causing disruptions in traffic and daily life for locals.
“I can’t believe that after all these promises about turning Srinagar into a Smart City, just a few hours of rain can cause this much chaos,” said Ubaid, a resident of Khawaja Bazar. “It’s embarrassing and frustrating to see our streets look like this every time it rains,” he added.
The slow pace of the Smart City project has been a point of contention among residents, who feel that the infrastructure improvements promised under the initiatives have not been realized.
Dr Faheem, a Pediatrician on MA Road, Srinagar, added that the authorities need to speed up the work. “It’s not just about smart gadgets and technology; basic infrastructure needs to be in place first,” he said.
Another local, who came from Budgam to attend a function at SKICC Srinagar, said the situation is really bad. “Every time it rains, we face the same problem. The government needs to act fast to resolve this issue. This road is mostly used for VVIP movement, and it’s unfortunate to see that only a few hours of rain turned it into a virtual pool,” he stated