Srinagar: The heavy downpour in Srinagar has punctured the tall claims of the administration as most parts of the City turned into a virtual pool on Monday as the inundated roads caused huge inconvenience to the commuters, thereby leading to the traffic chaos as well.
Locals have reported the potholes at numerous locations, exacerbating the situation, choking traffic movement, and causing severe traffic jams for hours as well.
Residents have expressed anguish with the slow pace of work under the Smart City project, accusing authorities of neglecting basic infrastructure maintenance.
They added that traffic movement has completely been choked today, causing inconvenience to locals and pedestrians alike.
“The condition of our roads has worsened due to the ongoing rains, and the open potholes are a serious safety hazard,” said a local resident, Mohammad Ali, from Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
Another resident, Wahid, voiced his concerns, saying, “We were promised better infrastructure and improved services under the Smart City project, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. The authorities need to prioritize the safety and well-being of the residents,” added Wahid.
“The Smart City initiative was launched with the aim of transforming Srinagar into a modern, sustainable city with improved infrastructure and services. However, delays in completing essential infrastructure work have left many questioning the effectiveness and efficiency of the project,” said Jibran, another local.
Moreover, due to the potholed conditions of roads, many accidents have occurred in the last couple of days.
Earlier at least three individuals, including a woman, were injured after an auto-rickshaw met with an accident in Ganderpora locality of Srinagar’s Sakidafar.
The accident was the outcome of the potholed road condition outside Shaheen Public School at Sakidafar here as according to the locals several accidents have taken place from last two days at the spot—(KNO)