Sitting space in Lal Chowk cries for facelift

Idrees Bukhtiyar
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15 Dec 2025

Srinagar, Dec 14: The sitting space surrounding the iconic clock tower at Lal Chowk, redeveloped two years ago, has turned into dilapidated condition, drawing concern from locals, traders and visitors alike who have appealed for its urgent facelift and regular maintenance.

Locals and traders said that several bollards installed around the area have been broken, while the devri stones surrounding the clock tower have suffered visible damage.

They further pointed out that broken tiles are lying unreplaced for months, underground lights installed beneath the sitting area have turned defunct, and benches have gathered thick layers of dust due to lack of cleaning.

“The place looks dilapidated and uncared for. It has been like this for many months now,” said Abrar Ahmad, a local of Bemina area. “This is the heart of Srinagar. If this area is neglected, what message are we sending to visitors?”

Suhail Shah, Vice President of the Traders Association Central Lal Chowk, expressed strong resentment over what he termed as indifference by Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL).

“SSCL is not taking any steps for its maintenance. We have repeatedly appealed to them to repair the damaged infrastructure, but nothing has been done so far,” Shah told Rising Kashmir.

He said the clock tower is the landmark of the city centre and deserves to be kept in pristine condition. “We have even requested SSCL to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lal Chowk traders’ body so that we ourselves can help maintain it, but they are not agreeing to it,” he added.

Visitors, particularly tourists who now consider Lal Chowk their first stop, also expressed disappointment over the condition of the sitting space.

“We had seen pictures of this place online and were excited to visit it,” said Rahul Sharma, a tourist from Delhi. “But the broken lights and damaged tiles spoil the overall experience. This place has huge potential if maintained properly.”

Another visitor, a woman tourist from Mumbai, said the area lacks basic upkeep. “The benches are dusty and the lights don’t work at night. For such a historic and symbolic place, this is quite unfortunate,” she said.

According to sources, SSCL had floated tenders for the facelift and maintenance of the sitting area, but no bidder came forward due to unknown reasons, further delaying the repair work.

Lal Chowk, which was redeveloped in August 2023 by Srinagar Smart City Limited and inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has since emerged as a major public and tourist space in the city. However, locals fear that continued neglect could undo the gains of the redevelopment.

“Huge public money has been spent on this project. If timely maintenance is not ensured, the entire effort will go to waste,” locals from various areas of the city complained. “The government and SSCL must intervene immediately.”

Locals and traders have once again appealed to the state government and SSCL to take urgent steps to restore the sitting space around the clock tower and ensure its regular upkeep, so that the city’s most prominent landmark reflects the dignity it deserves.

A senior SSCL official, wishing anonymity, told Rising Kashmir that tenders for the repair work have already been floated, but no bidders have come forward so far.

“The last date for submitting the tenders was Saturday. Since we did not receive any bids, the deadline has been extended by five days,” he said.

He expressed hope that the repair work would be completed by March next year. The official also attributed much of the damage to locals and auto-rickshaw drivers.