SSCL CEO’s bold push to reclaim Srinagar’s waterways deserves civil society support

Ziraat Times Editorial Board

The decision by Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) Chief Executive Officer Owais Ahmed to begin reclaiming and restoring Srinagar’s neglected waterways deserves unequivocal public support. It is a bold intervention that confronts decades of administrative neglect, weak urban planning and the systematic destruction of the city’s natural drainage network. If pursued with consistency and transparency, this initiative could become one of the most consequential urban restoration efforts undertaken in Srinagar in recent decades.

Few examples illustrate the scale of this environmental and planning failure better than the Doodh Ganga waterway between Batmaloo and Chattabal. Over the last 20 to 30 years, what was once an important water channel has been steadily narrowed through unchecked encroachments, indiscriminate filling and the shocking approval—or wilful overlooking—of permanent constructions within the waterway itself. This has not been the result of isolated violations alone. It reflects a prolonged policy failure that effectively sanctioned the disappearance of public waterways, with devastating consequences for drainage, flood resilience, water quality and the city’s ecological health.

Every monsoon, Srinagar pays the price for these decisions. Waterlogging, overflowing drains and increasing flood vulnerability are not merely the outcomes of heavy rainfall; they are the consequences of systematically disconnecting the city from its natural watercourses. Restoring these channels is therefore not simply an environmental exercise but an essential investment in climate resilience, public safety and sustainable urban development.

However, reclaiming waterways will inevitably encounter resistance from vested interests. Encroachments that accumulated over decades cannot be removed without difficult decisions. This is precisely why the administration requires broad public backing. Civil society organisations, environmental groups, resident welfare associations, trade bodies and citizens must stand behind these efforts. Restoration should not become another casualty of political pressure or short-term convenience.

The success of this initiative will ultimately depend on whether it evolves into a long-term policy rather than a one-time campaign. Restoration must be accompanied by strict protection against future encroachments, transparent enforcement of planning laws and continuous monitoring of water bodies across the city.

Srinagar’s waterways are part of its history, identity and survival. Protecting them is no longer optional. The city owes its full support to those willing to reverse decades of planning mistakes before they become irreversible.