One of the main reasons for devastation across hundreds of villages in south Kashmir during 2014 floods was the railway track that acted as a barrier and stopped spread of overflowing water from Jhelum. This flood-water eventually flattened the villages. That time the government had admitted that the track aggravated flood situation and had assured to come up with a solution.
More than three years later, the government has not only forgotten the assurance, it hasn’t even learnt any lessons. The Srinagar-Qazigund expressway that cuts through vast paddy fields and orchards to connect south Kashmir with summer capital Srinagar is coming up as another “wall” that could endanger people living in villages nearer to Jhelum in case a flood again hits the Valley.
In October last year the government threw open a section of the highway from Lasjan here to Gallander. It bypasses the busy PanthaChowk-Pampore section of the existing highway.
While the 9-kilometer long stretch which cuts through paddy fields and marshy lands has eased the traffic problem it has “lesser” number of water passages to allow flow of water in case of a high magnitude flood.
From Lasjan to Kandizal where the expressway stretch takes a curve to connect to existing highway, more than a dozen villages are located on banks of Jhelum, barely at a distance of 50 meters to 100 meters from the water body.
On the other side the expressway that runs parallel to the water body is at distance of 600 to 1000 meters from these villages. “Our villages have been turned into death trap due to this new road (expressway). In 2014 when water over spilled Jhelum embankments one storey of our houses remained submerged under water even when the flood water kept spreading. Today where will the water go in case of a flood? Look at this wall (expressway). It is like a monster which keeps us reminding everyday that our lives have become unsafe,” said Ghulam Muhammad Sheikh, a resident of Tangen village on Jhelum bank, barely 200 meters away from the expressway.
Post flood since the flood control department has raised the height of Jhelum embankment as a safety measure these villages have turned into low lying areas, stuck between Jhelum and expressway.
Substantiating his argument, sixty-five year old Sheikh, a farmer, pointed towards a large piece of land in front of his village that was filled with water and divided by the highway. “Had there been no highway this water won’t have remained stagnant there. It would have instead spread. But this is what will happen if Jhelum overflows next time, we will get flooded within hours,” he said with concerned looks.
Sheikh’s apprehensions were shared by people living in villages like Shalu, Samurbugh, Zinpora and Kandizal.
“We feel choked. Sometimes we want to pack our bags and leave this place but then where will we go. We are not against development but it shouldn’t come at cost of our safety,” said a youth at Zinpora who identified himself as Musaib.
According to him the villagers had raised the issue with the government on several occasions. “But except promises we didn’t get anything,” he said.
An official source said post floods National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Kashmir flood control department had carried a detailed survey of the entire highway. “This (survey) was to ensure that the highway is designed in a way that in case of a flood there is less impact on residential areas close to it and flow of water doesn’t get hampered. The thrust was laid on having adequate and wide water passage along the highway for free flow of water,” he said.
Asked whether the passages on Lasjan-Galander stretch are adequate, the official said “certainly not”. “And that too when the areas are in close vicinity to Jhelum,” said the official.
He however said at certain places the survey had brought to fore that there was no need for constructing water passage as it could have aggravated situation in nearby residential areas.
“If there are lacunas the NHAI should see to it because we have witnessed how the railway track led to destruction by stopping flow of flood water in 2014,” said the official.
He said after the flood they had taken up the matter with the railway authorities for creating more water passage in the railway track and widening the existing ones. “But nothing has been done so far,” the official added.
At Kandizal village a group of elderly people said in case of a flood the highway will now aggravate the situation in Srinagar as well as several areas of Pulwama district like Kakpora.
For decades people of Kandizal have bore Jhelum’s fury in order to save Srinagar. The authorities would cut Kandizal embankments to let water swirl across paddy fields and villages to save Srinagar.
“Last time when flood struck the breach in the Kandizal embankment had no impact as the railway track stopped spread of water. Now this highway intersecting Jhelum will further aggravate situation creating reverse flow of the water in Jhelum. The result will be that the upper areas of Pulwama and Srinagar will bear the brunt as overflowing water will find way back in Jhelum,” said Habibullah Dar, a septuagenarian of Kandizal.
The situation is similar in villages along 15 kilometer Sangam-Khudwani stretch of the highway which bypasses busy Bijbehara town and Khanabal areas.
From Sangam to Malpora stretch of highway that runs parallel to the water body, more than 40 villages are located on banks of Jhelum and its main feeding source VaishawNallah which wreaked havoc during 2014 floods.
Some of these villages like Arwani, Shoul, Shamsipora, Sursuna, Redwani, Khudwani located barely few meters way from Vaishawriver are all low lying areas and are prone to floods.
“While VaishawNallah completely wiped out villages on its banks in 2014 the Jhelum submerged dozens others in low lying areas flattening our houses,” said MuhamadAyub a native of Khudwani village. He said that the new elevated highway stretch will further aggravate the problem during floods.
His apprehensions were shared by Malik Imtiyaz of Arwani which is located on two main tributaries of Jehlum – Vaishaw and Rambiara. “Our village was always prone to floods. In 2014 the floods wreaked havoc in adjoining villages of Hassanpora, Tawela and HussanporaBagh as the railway track stopped the flow of water. Now with this elevated highway, the situation will worsen,” said Malik.
People residing in the villages near to existing highway apprehended that the existing highway which has been elevated would inundate them during even small downpour.
“The authorities while carrying the survey should have kept in mind the smooth passage of water. But to our dismay they did not bother,” said Muhamnad Ashraf, owner of a bat manufacturing unit at Halmula village near Sangam.
The 2014 deluge had led to heavy losses to these units located on the highway in Bijbehara, Charsoo, Halmullah, Sangam, Pujteng, Mirzapur and Sethar.