An RTI response has flagged concern and raised questions over the safety and preparedness of several public buildings and infrastructure projects in Srinagar, with a number of hospitals, schools, roads and bridges identified as structurally deteriorated or vulnerable to flooding.
The information was provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Works Department (Roads and Buildings) in response to queries filed by journalist and RTI activist MM Shuja regarding the condition of government infrastructure and structures requiring urgent assessment.
One of the major concerns is the Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital, a structure around seven decades old. The department has categorised its condition as deteriorated and assessed its vulnerability as high. Several educational institutions have also been identified as vulnerable. Government Boys High School, Sonwar, which is around a century old, has been assessed as being in satisfactory condition but located in a highly vulnerable zone.
In Lasjan, a Panchayat Ghar has reportedly remained underwater and is yet to undergo a detailed audit. Other schools in areas including Harwan, Theed Harwan, Dara and Shalkhud have been identified as vulnerable because of their exposure to flash floods and difficult terrain.
The concerns are not limited to buildings. Parts of Boulevard Road, particularly the Dalgate-Nishat stretch, have suffered damage to retaining walls and parapets. Several other roads have also been identified as flood-prone. The department has listed a number of bridges for detailed structural assessment, including Harwan Bridge, Gandbal Bridge, Chandpora Bridge, Syed Pora Bridge and Aziz Bridge. Some structures, including the Gandbal Footbridge and Pantha Chowk Footbridge, have been classified as highly vulnerable.
Major structures such as Hyderpora Flyover and New Padshahibagh Bridge have also been included in the assessment exercise. The department has called for comprehensive inspections covering structural stability, decks, bearings, expansion joints, parapets and other critical components.
The findings raise an important public-safety question: Are authorities moving quickly enough to repair vulnerable infrastructure before deterioration becomes a major safety hazard? For a city repeatedly exposed to flooding and extreme weather, regular structural audits and timely maintenance could be crucial to protecting lives and public assets.
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