Despite considerable improvement in weather on Friday, authorities failed to clear snow and undertake dewatering in various areas of the summer capital, giving tough time to commuters.
Melting of snow coupled with defunct drainage system caused water-logging in various areas of the city.
“It is ironical that authorities have failed to restore defunct drainage system in summer capital,” said Abdur Rashid, a commuter at Hari Singh High Street.
Most drains in the capital city have not been de-silted from years reducing their carrying capacity.
In absence of snow clearance water-logging was witnessed at MA Road, Jogilanker, Rainawari, Khanyar, TRC, Rajbagh, Rambagh, Bemina, Habba Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Nowhatta and its adjacent areas. Snow was also not cleared from some vital interior link roads in these areas. This led to traffic jams in city areas.
Snow was also not removed from city outskirts including Harwan, Hazratbal, Zakura, Theed, Fakeer Gujri. At Dargah Hazratbal, which witnesses one of the largest gatherings for congregational Friday prayers, were aghast over snow mounds and water logging at the Hazratbal shrine.
“The casual approach of administration has created problems for us,” said Bashir Ahmad, a devotee at Hazratbal.
The commuters heading towards Hazratbal via Zakura and Saidakadal said that the huge mounds of snow lying on road sides have made the already narrow roads narrower.
Market surrounding Hazratbal shrine, which witness huge rush of people on Fridays, was in shambles due to uncleared snow.
Peer Masood-ul-Haq, administrator Dargah Hazratbal said devotees faced problems while coming to offer prayers. “We were prepared and the praying area inside the premises of the shrine was cleared on time,” he said. .
Meanwhile Greater Kashmir received number of calls from the areas of Srinagar outskirts, the people were complaining that administration is yet to clear snow from inner lanes of the area like Gasso, Burzahama, Khimber, Danihama and other adjacent areas.
“We took it up to ourselves to clear the snow from inner lanes”, said one of the youth. In many areas of Srinagar outskirts like Dara, Fakeer Gujri, people said snow was yet to be cleared till after noon and power was also not fully restored in the areas.
Chief sanitation officer, SMC, Muhammad Akbar Sofi admitted that snow and garbage could not be cleared at some places.
“Snow has been cleared from 80 percent areas. There would be complaints of non-removal of garbage at few places. It is because of the snowfall that work got delayed. We ensure that all the left out work is completed by or before Saturday afternoon,” he said while replying to a query.