Srinagar, July 25: Polo View market in the Srinagar smart city turned into a nightmare for shopkeepers on Tuesday as they found their shops inundated with drain water.
This sudden flooding has caused significant damage to many handicrafts and shoe-selling shops, leaving owners grappling with the aftermath while their damaged valuables lay strewn on the streets.
CEO Smart City and Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Athar Amir Khan visited the Polo View market along with a team of engineers.
He speculated that the issue may have arisen due to a possible puncture in the old box drainage system situated at the rear end of the market.
“We are committed to identifying the cause and rectifying it as soon as possible,” Khan asserted, urging shopkeepers not to panic. The authorities would diligently work to address the problem and prevent such incidents in the future, he added.
While estimating the loss, one of the shopkeepers said that he had never suffered such a great loss except for the devastating 2014 floods. “What purpose does smart city hold if our shops are flooded with drain water?”, he added.
Approximately six to seven shops bore the brunt of the flooding, with water levels reaching up to three to four inches. Most of the Shopkeepers immediately resorted to motor pumps to drain out excessive water, while others were seen mopping the floor and discarding the damaged items.
Another shop owner raised his concern regarding the situation and claimed that they already suffered for two years now because of the ongoing construction for the smart city.
“We cannot afford any more losses. The shopkeeper urged the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and CEO of the smart city to investigate the root cause behind the havoc to prevent future recurrences,” he said.
Being a favourite hotspot of the locals and tourists, the affected shopkeepers eagerly anticipate the resolution of the underlying problem in the hopes that their businesses will soon return to normalcy.
On 11th May, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the historic market. It is the first pedestrian and wire free market of the Kashmir valley.
