Srinagar: Mounds of frozen snow are adorning the city centre Lal Chowk here in Kashmir capital Srinagar. Heaps of solid snow accumulated on the sidewalks and roadsides talk a lot about the ‘failure’ of Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
No effort is being made by SMC to lift these mounds of snow. It is affecting not only pedestrian movement but business as well. The shoppers are unable to park their cars while at some place shopkeepers are finding it difficult to open up their shops.
“I want to ask Ward Officer Lal Chowk, where he is and why he doesn’t take up the matter with his bosses. During snow clearance operation, SMC workers didn’t waste any opportunity to get their photographs uploaded on social media but now they are in hibernation, bothering least to give people respite from this accumulated snow,” a shopkeeper told Kashmir News Trust.
Another shopkeeper blamed SMC workers for the present mess. “After the snowfall, SMC workers in Lal Chowk cleared snow from the roads but deposited the same on roadsides and sidewalks causing problems for both pedestrians and shopkeepers,” he said and sought intervention of Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
“This is not a good sign for the development. The filthy mounds of solid snow are present everywhere and still you are describing Srinagar as ‘city of lights’ and ‘smart city’. Do something and get these mounds of snow lifted from the city centre,” said a pedestrian.
Both the cell phones of Commissioner SMC were switched off, however, Ward Officer Lal Chowk said that accumulated snow is very hard and thus can’t be lifted. “Another snowfall is expected. Let that happen and then we will lift everything,” he said. (KNT)
