Timely completion of the projects under the Srinagar Smart City Mission is important, but the works should be done in a coordinated manner to minimise the inconvenience faced by the people.
Reports say that simultaneous execution of works across the city has led to a number of problems for the residents in several areas. Partial closure of some of the roads, the subsequent traffic diversions and jamming is one such problem, which needs to be addressed.
The local residents say that they are not against development but such works must be executed in a way that they do not have to face much problems. The businessmen say that they should have been taken on board by the authorities, while planning and executing the works.
There was nothing wrong in taking the traders’ community into confidence and their inputs could have helped in minimising the inconvenience to the people.
One can understand that the authorities are trying to get the projects completed by June 2023, which is the extended deadline for completion of smart city missions across the country.
It is to be seen whether the deadline can be met particularly when the work has been started only some months back in Srinagar and the unfavourable harsh winter conditions are also approaching. The snowfall and freezing cold usually disrupts, or slows down the pace of such works.
The Srinagar smart city mission was approved by the government of India in April 2017. Some time was lost due to COVID-19 and some other reasons.
Officials say that conceptualisation of projects, tendering and some other procedures were done last year and this year the work on the projects was started.
According to officials the works under the Smart City Mission are going for urban renewal and retrofitting with the objectives to promote a city that provides core infrastructure, gives a decent quality of life to its citizens and applies smart solutions to improve services and infrastructure.
It is being hoped that despite the weather related hurdles and other problems, the work gets completed in time and the residents get benefitted. Equally essential is to reduce the problems of the people, while the work on the projects is in progress.