According to a senior official, Srinagar will construct 80 kilometres of walking space, a “unprecedented” development for any Indian city, in addition to adding water transit and electric buses as part of the Smart Cities Mission.
Cycling paths, a strong drainage system, and an underground energy network are all being built across the city, according to Srinagar Smart City CEO Athar Aamir Khan.
In Srinagar, electrical poles that provide power to home users would be replaced with smart distribution plugs, according to the proposal.
55 of the 125 projects under the Smart Cities Mission — one of the Narendra Modi government’s signature schemes — have been finished, including the reconstruction of the city’s iconic Polo View Market, and the remainder are scheduled to be done by the end of the year.
The mission’s projects seek to convert Srinagar into a modern, sustainable, and economically viable city, with a particular emphasis on upgrading infrastructure and services and enhancing mobility.
Khan said that all initiatives carried out by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry as part of the goal would reinforce urban infrastructure, improve city services, public aesthetics, and convenience of living, as well as offer a clean and sustainable environment.
“In Srinagar, we plan to build 80 kilometres of walking infrastructure, which is unprecedented for any city in the country.” “The city should be walkable and pedestrian-friendly, with non-motorized infrastructure taking precedence,” he stated.
The authorities in Srinagar are also installing 1,500 smart CCTV cameras for a variety of objectives. According to Khan, 500 of these cameras have already been placed.
When asked about the reconstruction of the iconic Polo View Market, which cost roughly Rs 10 crore, he stated there was a choas since nothing was in order before.
“We recently completed the Polo View Market redevelopment project, and it is now a non-motorized and pedestrian-friendly zone,” the officer stated.
According to Mohammad Yaseen, vice-president of the Polo View Market Association, foot traffic has increased by 20% since the reconstruction.
“We anticipate that our business will expand in tandem with the market’s redevelopment.” “The traders appreciate the efforts of the Srinagar authorities to redevelop the market,” Yaseen told PTI.
Khan also said that 100 electric buses are being purchased, adding that this would be the first time that electric buses will be used in public transportation.
“We’re looking into ways to improve public transport in the city.” To begin, we are purchasing 100 electric buses, 25 of which will be operational by the end of July,” Khan said.
The Srinagar Smart City Limited proposes to remodel the city’s urban infrastructure, making it more resilient, safe, and sustainable, while also greatly increasing people’ quality of life.
The Srinagar authorities, according to Khan, are also working on an integrated public transport system, which he describes as the most efficient and fair answer for urban mobility and climate change.
He said that public transit saves money, promotes mobility, and hence enhances possibilities and land value.
Officials said 17 ghats are being upgraded for specialised boarding and alighting for water transit, while 25 others are being redeveloped as public places surrounding the Jhelum river.
All of these water transit ghats are constructed with universal accessibility in mind, and include facilities like as public bathrooms and kiosks. Parks and communal spaces along the ghats have been developed as public spaces in the densely populated Shehr-e-Khas area.
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry extended the deadline for the Smart communities Mission to June 2024 last month in response to appeals from communities seeking additional time to finish existing initiatives.
The previous deadline was in June 2023.
The Modi administration began the Smart Cities Mission in June 2015, with 100 cities chosen for reconstruction in two stages between January 2016 and June 2018. (PTI)
