Srinagar, Jun 22: An hour of intense rainfall on Monday brought large parts of Srinagar to a standstill, exposing glaring failure of the city’s drainage infrastructure.
Major roads, markets and residential localities across the city, particularly in Downtown Srinagar, were submerged under rainwater as drains failed to cope with the heavy downpour. Waterlogging was reported from Khanyar, Khayam, Nowpora, Rainawari, NaidKadal, Nowhatta, Dastgeer Sahib (RA) area, MaharajGunj, SarafKadal and adjoining areas, where roads resembled flowing streams and several stretches disappeared beneath ankle to knee-deep water.
The situation brought vehicular movement to a crawl, with traffic snarls reported from multiple locations. Two-wheeler riders were among the worst affected, many abandoning their attempts to navigate flooded roads. Public transport, including buses and cabs, struggled to move through inundated stretches, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
At SarafKadal Chowk, Khayam and adjoining areas, residents said the entire intersections were transformed into a virtual water body as rainwater accumulated rapidly, making movement nearly impossible.
The downpour also dealt a severe blow to businesses in the city’s commercial hubs. In MaharajGunj and several other Downtown markets, rainwater entered shops, damaging goods and forcing traders and employees to spend hours removing water using buckets and containers.
Street vendors also suffered losses as water submerged portions of their carts and damaged merchandise.
“We witnessed water gushing into shops within minutes. Goods worth thousands were damaged. Every time it rains heavily, we are left to suffer despite repeated assurances about upgraded drainage infrastructure,” said a trader in MaharajGunj.
Residents and traders accused authorities of failing to address a recurring problem despite spending crores of rupees on drainage improvements over the past several years.
Ayaz Zehgeer, from Beopar Mandal MaharajGunj, said the latest episode raises serious questions about the engineering and planning behind the drainage network.
“There has to be a comprehensive assessment of the drainage system that has been put in place. We have seen major investments being made, but the results on the ground are disappointing. Even during periods of heavy rainfall in the past, including years before these upgrades, water did not accumulate so quickly in many of these areas,” he said.
Farooq Ahmad, another resident from Shahar-e-Khaas, termed the situation an “engineering failure”.
“Heavy rainfall is not an unusual event. If one hour of rain can turn large parts of Srinagar into a river, then there is clearly something fundamentally wrong with the planning and execution of the drainage works. The authorities need to revisit the entire system and identify loopholes,” he said.
Waterlogging was also reported from several peripheral areas, including parts of Hazratbal and other localities lacking adequate drainage infrastructure, where roads remained inundated for hours.
Visuals from several localities showed residents rushing for shelter, traders scrambling to protect goods, and shopkeepers attempting to divert water away from business establishments.
The issue of persistent waterlogging has repeatedly been highlighted by local residents and the media, with concerns mounting over the city’s ability to handle even short-duration spells of intense rainfall.
Officials have previously maintained that drainage channels are being cleaned regularly and have attributed some blockages to the dumping of solid waste into drains. However, many residents rejected the explanation, arguing that the scale of Monday’s waterlogging points to deeper structural shortcomings within the drainage network.
With businesses suffering losses, traffic repeatedly disrupted and residents facing recurring hardships, demands have grown louder for an independent review of Srinagar’s drainage infrastructure and the effectiveness of the Smart City drainage upgrades.