Smart City Mission launched on 25.6.2015 under the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, with a view to providing core infrastructure, decent quality of life to its citizens, clean and sustainable environment through the application of smart solutions.
This, to increase the overall economic growth of the country was a new concept at centre and a newer one in Jammu & Kashmir where it was initiated during 2017. The Mission envisages implementation of diverse and complex projects in all areas of urban governance such as environment, disaster resilience, sanitation, health, housing, waste management, water, public safety, mobility etc.
These projects are interdisciplinary and involve coordination of various departments of a government. Under the Smart City Mission Srinagar city was selected in 4/2017 in round-3 selections. Likewise Jammu city was approved as one of the smart cities in round-3 challenge held in 6/2017. Under the Mission a total of 309 projects (122 for Jammu city and 187 for Srinagar city) are targeted to be completed in 4/2024 and 6/2024 respectively at an estimated cost of Rs.7,736.83 crore in both the capital cities.
Srinagar Smart City Mission envisions Srinagar city to be transformed into eco-friendly, socio-economically vibrant and resilient city that could enjoy and celebrate its natural and cultural heritage creating harmonious atmosphere & opportunities for all.
Thanks and praise should go to all conceivers of the concept, planners, designers, implementers, financiers, tech-guides and the ground level workers who are/were engaged in the execution of projects and their completion by the targeted dates.
But it is easier say said than done. It is one thing to design a concept into a project on a piece of paper where it is easy to meet the requirement of contours of a project according to the laid down global engineering & architectural standards but another thing when applied practically in an already existing topographically uneven age-old city mostly unplanned.
In the era of global mass transportation, surface transport is the most used mode for ferrying people and goods as compared to sea and the aerial routes throughout the world. Consequently it has greater importance and scope that the latter two in easing the living condition of the people.
Where new cities are established in a government approved planned way, any modification, alteration or addition is easier than in a city developed in an individually planned manner. Any special purpose vehicle created under a mission has to be introduced guardedly so that existing facilities on any front may not diminish in any way.
In a largely considered opinion road mobility and connectivity is the bedrock for the creation, development and improvement of utilities catering to the public good. The word ‘smart’ itself connotes being agile, sharp, brisk, keen, quick & efficient in business, fine, vivacious, trim, witty, brightening, dandy, spruce etc. It cannot be gainsaid that many a new & good thing have come to notice and service after the implementation of Srinagar Smart City Mission (SSCM).
However, in case of road smartness it is seen that somewhere roads have been narrowed with expanded footpaths and pavements than they used to be before the launch of SSCM thereby causing jostling of vehicles and hampering their movement.
Roundabouts have been created where they were not feasible on the score of principle and practicality thus telling upon the smooth flow of human and vehicular traffic. Batalamoo junction roundabout and the roads down Tengapora bypass via Bonapora and Tatoo ground-Qamarwari are quoted as instances. It is to recall that some years way back there were two roundabouts one each at Sanatnagar junction and Nowgam junction on the bypass road.
But both the creations were removed as they absorbed much of the main central space bundling traffic to sideways resulting in obstruction, accidents, jams and other inconveniences to people. Now flyovers are expected to come at such junctions like the one under construction (9/2023) in Bemina chowk to share and assuage the rush of traffic in public interest.
A citizen concerned has a right to venture to suggest for fixing square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. Creation of roundabouts or landscaping is not opposed as they satisfy aesthetic taste yet the positioning matters.
Smart City Mission may have provision for roundabouts but ground situation is to be honoured with relevant exchanges. Such activities are welcome where there is ample space for the unhindered flow of traffic sans affecting the main activity adversely.
Only the luddites can be on the opposite side of the fence. Whatever may suit our geographical, social and economic milieu is the best to maximize the smartness of city which is the crux of the Mission blueprint of which should remain mutatis mutandis the same.
On the count of roads Srinagar city should not become a smaller city than what it was previously. Squeezing the roads and making the vehicles to follow one after another one to avoid overtaking or jamming is also dangerous when fire, flood, medical and VIP emergencies arise which demand clear & wide roads and do not compromise any delay or lax.
Since giving decent quality of life to its citizens is one of the thrust areas of the Mission it should equally be concerned with the protection of life saving measures.
Prior to the debut of the SSCM most of the roads had in the middle dividers as barricades of the height that could impede the ascension of even the derailed heavy vehicles crossing over to the opposite chamber to prevent double accidents.
These barricades were raised suitably when they used to lose protecting height alongside fresh macadamisations. Now there is something like landscape patches of too low level to resist even scooters or scooties moving at city speed limits as such prone enough to cause dual jeopardy.
For protection of life, Mission should rope in services of the departments of wild life, animal husbandry and Srinagar Municipal Corporation to eliminate the dog bite menace which has taken a toll of precious lives. A city cannot be smart if its roads fail to shoulder transportation efficiently and effectively or its citizens fear to tread outside.
The strategic components of the Smart City Mission being city retrofitting, city renewal and city extension (Greenland development) coupled with a Pan-City initiative in which smart solutions are applied covering large parts of the city, housing units that have come up at various locations making slum like conditions in the city should not miss the attention of the authorities concerned to improve and redevelop these with appropriate sanitation followed by efficient waste management.
Even if not provided in the original works locality and location requirements may be accommodated through approved diversions of funds and the substituted works.
It is prayed and requested too that all the planned works get completed and commissioned well in time preventing spillovers and escalation of costs so that intended benefits may accrue expeditiously to the targeted beneficiaries who too should cooperate in the maintenance of the assets and facilities so created.
The author is a former Sr. Audit Officer and Consultant in the A.G’s Office Srinagar.