Srinagar Smart City Mission makes progress

According to Athar Aamir Khan, CEO of Srinagar Smart City, bicycle lanes, a strong sewage system, and an underground energy network are also being built throughout the city. In Srinagar, smart distribution plugs will replace the electricity poles now used to supply electricity to residential customers. Of the 125 projects included in the Smart Cities Mission, one of the government of Narendra Modi's hallmark initiatives, 55 have already been finished, including the redevelopment of the city's renowned Polo View Market. The remaining projects are expected to be finished by the end of the year. The mission's projects focus specifically on enhancing infrastructure and services and boosting mobility with the goal of transforming Srinagar into a contemporary, environmentally friendly, and economically vibrant city. All of the mission's projects, according to Khan, will reinforce urban infrastructure, enhance city services, enhance public aesthetics and convenience of living, and offer a clean and sustainable environment. They are being carried out by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. “We have plans to develop 80 kilometres of walking infrastructure in Srinagar, which is unprecedented for any city in the country. The city should be walkable and pedestrian-friendly and non-motorised infrastructure is of the highest priority,” he said. Additionally, 1,500 smart CCTV cameras are being installed by the Srinagar authorities for various uses. Khan stated that 500 of these cameras had already been set up. He claimed there was a delay since nothing was in order prior to the redevelopment of the renowned Polo View Market, which was completed at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore “We recently completed the redevelopment project of the Polo View Market under which it has now become a non-motorised and pedestrian-friendly zone,” the officer said. Since the redevelopment, according to Mohammad Yaseen, vice-president of the Polo View Market Association, there has been a 20% increase in foot traffic. “We are hoping that our business will also grow with the redevelopment of the market. The traders appreciate the Srinagar authorities’ efforts to redevelop the market,” Yaseen said. Khan noted that 100 electric buses are also being purchased and that this will be the first time they are used in the public transportation system. “We are looking at how to have better public transport for the city. To begin with, we are procuring 100 electric buses, 25 of which will start operating by the end of July,” Khan added. The Srinagar Smart City Limited seeks to completely transform the urban infrastructure of the city, enhancing residents' quality of life while making it robust, safe, and sustainable. The integrated public transportation system, according to Khan, is being developed by the Srinagar government and is the most effective and fair response to both urban mobility and climate change. He noted that using public transportation expands opportunities and increases the value of land while also saving money and facilitating travel. Officials claim that 25 more ghats are being developed as public places along the Jhelum river, in addition to the improvement of 17 ghats for dedicated boarding and alighting for water transportation. All of these water transportation ghats offer amenities like public restrooms and kiosks and were built with universal accessibility in mind. The densely populated Shehr-e-Khas neighborhood has embraced the establishment of parks and communal spaces along the ghats as public spaces. The Smart localities Mission's deadline was last month extended by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry until June 2024 in response to petitions from some localities that needed more time to finish their ongoing projects. The previous deadline was in June 2023. The Modi government began the Smart Cities Mission in June 2015, with 100 cities chosen for reconstruction in two stages between January 2016 and June 2018. See also: Financial irregularities, distortion plague Panaji's Smart City MissionSrinagar Smart City sets record for highest project completion