BREAKING NEWS
In late nineties road from Batamaloo to Jehangir Chowk was widened which though accommodated more traffic but failed to eliminate the conflict at the junction. Subsequently, a grade separator was proposed from Budshah bridge to present court complex with sole motive to provide safe mobility for politicians and bureaucrats working in civil Secretrate
Chronicle of Traffic Chaos
For over five decades, Jehangir Chowk has epitomized the struggles faced by urban planners, city administrators, traffic managers and policymakers in managing traffic congestion in Srinagar. Jehangir Chowk, being the vibrant heart of Srinagar, has languished in a chokehold of traffic chaos, a glaring testament to the failure of planners, transport planners, policymakers and the political set ups, to reshape this critical city junction where heart of the Srinagar beats. This bustling centrality of Lal Chowk, with traffic converging from Batamaloo, Molana Azad road Rambagh, Natipora, Shaheed Gunj, Amira Kadal and other local link roads, pulsates with Srinagar’s economic and cultural life, yet it suffocates under severe lane conflicts, reckless lane crisscrossing, ill-placed bus stops, poor traffic management and haphazard three-wheeler parking that clog its arteries. Initially, modifications to Jehangir Chowk were intended to accommodate the growth of vehicular traffic, morphing from a small roundabout into a prominent urban junction. However, failure to anticipate the rapid influx of vehicles stemming from evolving local demographics and economic conditions traffic problems are assuming glaring propositions.
Personal Reflections
Since my school days I observed Jehangir Chowk intersection transforming from a small roundabout to fountain center junction which continued till early nineties. Thereafter, road was initially widened to accommodate growing traffic without being conscious about the conflict which infused complexity and perplexing dimension to traffic with each passing day. In late nineties road from Batamaloo to Jehangir Chowk was widened which though accommodated more traffic but failed to eliminate the conflict at the junction. Subsequently, a grade separator was proposed from Budshah bridge to present court complex with sole motive to provide safe mobility for politicians and bureaucrats working in civil Secretrate. The project initially rejected by Town planning organization, Kashmir because they considered that it does not provide a complete solution to the traffic conflict at the intersection. However, the suggestion made by the professional were overlooked and the people at the helm of affairs in the State went ahead with the construction of grade separator which stand a testimony, serving limited part of the traffic movement bound to civil Secretrate and Batamaloo and back to Molana Azad road. However, despite making heavy invest, vexing traffic problems still persisted. Thereafter, another effort was made to overcome the tenacious mobility problems at the intersection by developing the flyover running from Rambagh to Jehangir Chowk. Initially it was conceived with two cloverleaves’ at Jehangir Chowk one for the traffic bound to Batamalloo and another toward Molana Azad road to reduces rather to eliminate the traffic conflicts and crisscrossing of running traffic at the intersection. The project seemed to a more or less a comprehensive proposal but the wings of the flyover were chopped just after the approval. Historical analysis reveals a trajectory of failed planning initiatives that inadequately addressed the increasing complexity of traffic demands. By the late 20th century, efforts to widen roadways were deemed essential to sustain growing traffic volumes; yet, these developments did not adequately consider the resulting conflicts that emerged at the junction as car ownership and traffic continued to soar. Further attempts were made to relieve congestion through additional road widening initiatives. However, these measures only increased traffic volume without resolving the underlying issues plaguing the intersection. The decision to construct a grade separator aimed at facilitating safe mobility for key political figures was a reactionary measure that proved insufficient for providing comprehensive solutions to existing traffic quandaries. The initial proposal for a grade separator from Budshah Bridge to the present court complex encountered resistance from the Town Planning Organization in Kashmir, which deemed the plan inadequate for addressing prevailing traffic conflicts. Faced with lacking infrastructural support and planning foresight, the government officials opted to move forward with the grade separator project despite its critiques. The resulting construction served a limited segment of traffic, primarily benefiting those traveling toward civil service offices, while failing to mitigate the widespread congestion that engulfed Jehangir Chowk. Reportedly, even the High court has not indorsed the construction of cloverleaf as it was passing very close to it and another clover bound towards Batamaloo was also abandoned for unknown reasons. The flyover should have started from ahead of Bagat Chowk along Airport road and beyond Natipora junction along Channapora road would have sorted most of the traffic problems at these intersection as such the perspective conceived has also fallen short comprehensiveness. Again under smart city mission effort were made but these have merely prove as nonfunctional cosmetic treatment only and has once again failed to relieve the traffic pressure at the intersection and to eliminate lane conflict at the junction. As matter of fact the half-developed Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, its ambitious cloverleaf design brutally slashed—particularly the aborted limbs to Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road—stands as a monument to squandered vision, dumping traffic back into the chowk’s gridlocked core. Despite lofty promises from the Srinagar Smart City Mission, including rotaries, road upgrades, and a stalled Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover, the chowk remains a battleground, its vibrancy dulled by the open-eye reality of planning failures, policy missteps, and transport mismanagement that have betrayed Srinagar’s soul.
The subsequent projects, notably the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, were launched with great expectations of alleviating traffic stress. Originally conceived to include two cloverleaf designs aimed at minimizing vehicle crisscrossing—one directed toward Batamaloo and the other toward Maulana Azad Road—the design sought to streamline incoming traffic flows. However, as the project developed, legal complications arose that resulted in significant alterations to the initial plan. The removal of key connections to both Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road substantially limited the flyover's overall efficacy and usability. Consequently, the flyover, once hailed for its potential to alleviate congestion, became a symbol of lost opportunities, failing to deliver the promised traffic relief.Current challenges at Jehangir Chowk remain acute, despite significant investments in infrastructural improvements. The partially completed Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover exemplifies the flaws in execution of transport planning efforts. Its truncated design, lacking essential connections, has led to ongoing traffic bottlenecks and a return of vehicles to the already congested junction. Commuters continue to endure frustrating delays, with traffic congestion at Jehangir Chowk reflecting years of planning failures and mismanagement rather than improvements. The primary causes of congestion at this crucial intersection can be mapped to several key factors. First among these is the issue of lane conflicts that emerge as vehicles, buses, and auto-rickshaws move through the narrow roadways without organized flow. The absence of effective lane designation creates a chaotic environment in which automobiles jostle for position, often crisscrossing paths with little regard for safety or efficiency. This situation is exacerbated by improperly placed bus stops, which serve as choke points rather than facilitating fluid transit. The poor positioning often leads to abrupt halts in traffic flow, creating gridlocked scenarios that raise commute times and decrease overall efficiency.
Flyover a Half Baked Relic
The Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, launched in 2013, was heralded as salvation—a sleek bypass to untangle the chowk’s knots. Yet, transport planners and policymakers botched its execution. The flyover’s cloverleaf, meant to ensure smooth exits to Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road, was inexplicably gutted before its 2019 completion. The Batamaloo limb, critical for commuters, was abandoned, forcing vehicles back into the chowk’s chaos. The Maulana Azad Road connection, a lifeline for the CBD, was similarly stunted, rendering the flyover a half-baked relic. Commuters like Zaheer Khan scorn its “useless ramps,” pointing to persistent bottlenecks at the chowk’s base. This wasn’t just poor engineering—it was a betrayal of intent, a failure to align vision with Srinagar’s needs. The flyover, meant to soar, instead limps, its truncated design mocking the city’s aspirations.
Policy Pitfalls
The Srinagar Smart City Mission, launched with fanfare, promised to revive Jehangir Chowk’s vibrancy. A new rotary, road upgrades, and a proposed Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover were pitched as transformative. Yet, these efforts have crumbled under the weight of planning ineptitude and policy inertia. The rotary’s modifications could not absolve the conflict but has plunged the Chowk into deeper disarray, with barricades, poor traffic management, choking already narrow roads, jams, and conflicts. Peak hours now stretch into gridlock marathons, with users slamming the “endless construction” and opaque visualization of the indelible traffic problems. The Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover, a cornerstone of the Smart City vision, remains mired for unknown reasons—its Detailed Project Report still under appraisal, eluding relief. Plans to relocate the Jehangir Chowk bus stand, a major congestion driver, have stalled, with policymakers citing vague “logistical issues.” Traffic police, understaffed and overwhelmed, fail to tame the chowk’s anarchy, their efforts undercut by encroachments and zero coordination with civic bodies like the Srinagar Municipal Corporation or Smart City Limited linger a lasting solution for the heart of the city.
Urban Governance Crisis
This isn’t just a traffic problem—it’s a systemic collapse of urban governance. Planners have prioritized flashy projects like flyovers, rotaries, curb, and widening , over addressing root causes involving abysmal urban planning, a skeletal public transport system, and unchecked encroachments. Srinagar’s intra-city buses, erratic and underfunded, push residents toward private vehicles, swelling the chowk’s chaos. Sustainable options like light rail or cycle lanes, standard in vibrant cities, are absent, a policy blind spot that entrenches car-centric gridlock. Pedestrians, navigating vendor-clogged sidewalks and uneven pathways, are an afterthought in a city obsessed with vehicular fixes. The Smart City’s redesign of the CBD, including Maulana Azad Road and the Jhelum Riverfront, promises long-term gains but falters in execution, with traders lamenting disrupted business and residents decrying “band-aid” solutions. Seeing the continued traffic crisis people express in social media posts that “Jehangir Chowk needs planners who see the city, not just their desks and their bosses.”
Loss of Economic Vibrancy of Lal chowk
The toll is devastating. Lal Chowk, with its storied Ghanta Ghar and political legacy, loses its luster as customers avoid the traffic trap. Emergency services, critical in Kashmir’s fragile context, are paralyzed, with lives hanging in the balance. Jehangir Chowk’s cultural weight, a crossroads of Srinagar’s past and present, is buried under its reputation as a gridlock nightmare. Residents feel abandoned, their city’s heart left to fester by those entrusted to reshape it. The government’s rhetoric of “revolutionary” infrastructure rings hollow against the reality of half-built flyovers, creeping construction, and a chowk that chokes on its own vibrancy. The chowk’s descent into chaos began as Srinagar evolved, with Jehangir Chowk overtaking Mahraj Gunj as the city’s Central Business District. Its narrow roads, relics of a quieter past, buckled under the weight of modern traffic—cars, buses, and auto-rickshaws flooding in from Rambagh, Chanpora, and beyond. Planners failed to anticipate this surge, allowing lane conflicts to erupt as vehicles jostled in a free-for-all, crisscrossing with impunity. Bus stops, thoughtlessly positioned, became choke points, inviting chaotic halts that snarl traffic further. Three-wheeler parking, sprawling unchecked at the chowk’s edges, devoured precious road space, while street vendors and encroachments tightened the noose. Many commuters like endure hour-long ordeals for short trips, their frustration echoed across in various posts decrying the “daily torture” of navigating the chowk. Lal Chowk’s traders, reliant on footfall, watch customers vanish, deterred by the gridlock. Emergency services, vital in a volatile region, crawl through the mess, their sirens drowned in the cacophony of failure.
Call for Transformation-Rethinking Urbanism
To resurrect Jehangir Chowk, Srinagar demands a reckoning. Planners and policymakers must abandon piecemeal fixes for a bold, cohesive strategy. First, expedite infrastructure with accountability—complete the rotary and Dalgate flyover, learning from the Rambagh flyover’s debacle. Second, overhaul traffic management: relocate the bus stand, regulate three-wheeler parking, and clear encroachments with an iron hand. Third, revolutionize public transport with reliable buses and visionary options like light rail to curb private vehicle use. Fourth, prioritize pedestrians with safe walkways and crossings, restoring the chowk’s human pulse. Finally, engage communities including traders, commuters, locals to ensure inclusivity and plans to reflect reality without boardroom fantasies. Coordination between agencies, long a weak link, must be enforced.
Path Forward
Jehangir Chowk’s 50-year wound is an open-eye indictment of planning failures, transport missteps, and policy inertia. Lane conflicts, crisscrossing chaos, misplaced bus stops, and sprawling three-wheelers choke its flow, while the mangled flyover, its cloverleaf dreams severed, epitomizes lost promise. The Smart City’s vision drowns in delays and discord, leaving Srinagar’s heart to falter. This isn’t just a chowk—it’s the soul of a city, betrayed by those meant to shape its future. Only urgent, systemic action can restore its vibrant beat, freeing Srinagar from the shackles of its own heart. Flyover system needs to reconsidered and remodeled with comprehensive solution to traffic ills of the city. Finally, immediate and systemic action is necessary to restore Jehangir Chowk to its rightful place as a lively focal point of the city. Urban planners and policymakers must pivot their perspectives away from ad-hoc solutions toward bold, cohesive strategies that emphasize accountability, community involvement, and comprehensive urban planning. Only through such rigorous efforts can Srinagar's bustling heart reclaim its rhythm and continue to thrive in the face of growing challenges.
Email:------------------- hamwani24@gmail.com
In late nineties road from Batamaloo to Jehangir Chowk was widened which though accommodated more traffic but failed to eliminate the conflict at the junction. Subsequently, a grade separator was proposed from Budshah bridge to present court complex with sole motive to provide safe mobility for politicians and bureaucrats working in civil Secretrate
Chronicle of Traffic Chaos
For over five decades, Jehangir Chowk has epitomized the struggles faced by urban planners, city administrators, traffic managers and policymakers in managing traffic congestion in Srinagar. Jehangir Chowk, being the vibrant heart of Srinagar, has languished in a chokehold of traffic chaos, a glaring testament to the failure of planners, transport planners, policymakers and the political set ups, to reshape this critical city junction where heart of the Srinagar beats. This bustling centrality of Lal Chowk, with traffic converging from Batamaloo, Molana Azad road Rambagh, Natipora, Shaheed Gunj, Amira Kadal and other local link roads, pulsates with Srinagar’s economic and cultural life, yet it suffocates under severe lane conflicts, reckless lane crisscrossing, ill-placed bus stops, poor traffic management and haphazard three-wheeler parking that clog its arteries. Initially, modifications to Jehangir Chowk were intended to accommodate the growth of vehicular traffic, morphing from a small roundabout into a prominent urban junction. However, failure to anticipate the rapid influx of vehicles stemming from evolving local demographics and economic conditions traffic problems are assuming glaring propositions.
Personal Reflections
Since my school days I observed Jehangir Chowk intersection transforming from a small roundabout to fountain center junction which continued till early nineties. Thereafter, road was initially widened to accommodate growing traffic without being conscious about the conflict which infused complexity and perplexing dimension to traffic with each passing day. In late nineties road from Batamaloo to Jehangir Chowk was widened which though accommodated more traffic but failed to eliminate the conflict at the junction. Subsequently, a grade separator was proposed from Budshah bridge to present court complex with sole motive to provide safe mobility for politicians and bureaucrats working in civil Secretrate. The project initially rejected by Town planning organization, Kashmir because they considered that it does not provide a complete solution to the traffic conflict at the intersection. However, the suggestion made by the professional were overlooked and the people at the helm of affairs in the State went ahead with the construction of grade separator which stand a testimony, serving limited part of the traffic movement bound to civil Secretrate and Batamaloo and back to Molana Azad road. However, despite making heavy invest, vexing traffic problems still persisted. Thereafter, another effort was made to overcome the tenacious mobility problems at the intersection by developing the flyover running from Rambagh to Jehangir Chowk. Initially it was conceived with two cloverleaves’ at Jehangir Chowk one for the traffic bound to Batamalloo and another toward Molana Azad road to reduces rather to eliminate the traffic conflicts and crisscrossing of running traffic at the intersection. The project seemed to a more or less a comprehensive proposal but the wings of the flyover were chopped just after the approval. Historical analysis reveals a trajectory of failed planning initiatives that inadequately addressed the increasing complexity of traffic demands. By the late 20th century, efforts to widen roadways were deemed essential to sustain growing traffic volumes; yet, these developments did not adequately consider the resulting conflicts that emerged at the junction as car ownership and traffic continued to soar. Further attempts were made to relieve congestion through additional road widening initiatives. However, these measures only increased traffic volume without resolving the underlying issues plaguing the intersection. The decision to construct a grade separator aimed at facilitating safe mobility for key political figures was a reactionary measure that proved insufficient for providing comprehensive solutions to existing traffic quandaries. The initial proposal for a grade separator from Budshah Bridge to the present court complex encountered resistance from the Town Planning Organization in Kashmir, which deemed the plan inadequate for addressing prevailing traffic conflicts. Faced with lacking infrastructural support and planning foresight, the government officials opted to move forward with the grade separator project despite its critiques. The resulting construction served a limited segment of traffic, primarily benefiting those traveling toward civil service offices, while failing to mitigate the widespread congestion that engulfed Jehangir Chowk. Reportedly, even the High court has not indorsed the construction of cloverleaf as it was passing very close to it and another clover bound towards Batamaloo was also abandoned for unknown reasons. The flyover should have started from ahead of Bagat Chowk along Airport road and beyond Natipora junction along Channapora road would have sorted most of the traffic problems at these intersection as such the perspective conceived has also fallen short comprehensiveness. Again under smart city mission effort were made but these have merely prove as nonfunctional cosmetic treatment only and has once again failed to relieve the traffic pressure at the intersection and to eliminate lane conflict at the junction. As matter of fact the half-developed Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, its ambitious cloverleaf design brutally slashed—particularly the aborted limbs to Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road—stands as a monument to squandered vision, dumping traffic back into the chowk’s gridlocked core. Despite lofty promises from the Srinagar Smart City Mission, including rotaries, road upgrades, and a stalled Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover, the chowk remains a battleground, its vibrancy dulled by the open-eye reality of planning failures, policy missteps, and transport mismanagement that have betrayed Srinagar’s soul.
The subsequent projects, notably the Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, were launched with great expectations of alleviating traffic stress. Originally conceived to include two cloverleaf designs aimed at minimizing vehicle crisscrossing—one directed toward Batamaloo and the other toward Maulana Azad Road—the design sought to streamline incoming traffic flows. However, as the project developed, legal complications arose that resulted in significant alterations to the initial plan. The removal of key connections to both Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road substantially limited the flyover's overall efficacy and usability. Consequently, the flyover, once hailed for its potential to alleviate congestion, became a symbol of lost opportunities, failing to deliver the promised traffic relief.Current challenges at Jehangir Chowk remain acute, despite significant investments in infrastructural improvements. The partially completed Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover exemplifies the flaws in execution of transport planning efforts. Its truncated design, lacking essential connections, has led to ongoing traffic bottlenecks and a return of vehicles to the already congested junction. Commuters continue to endure frustrating delays, with traffic congestion at Jehangir Chowk reflecting years of planning failures and mismanagement rather than improvements. The primary causes of congestion at this crucial intersection can be mapped to several key factors. First among these is the issue of lane conflicts that emerge as vehicles, buses, and auto-rickshaws move through the narrow roadways without organized flow. The absence of effective lane designation creates a chaotic environment in which automobiles jostle for position, often crisscrossing paths with little regard for safety or efficiency. This situation is exacerbated by improperly placed bus stops, which serve as choke points rather than facilitating fluid transit. The poor positioning often leads to abrupt halts in traffic flow, creating gridlocked scenarios that raise commute times and decrease overall efficiency.
Flyover a Half Baked Relic
The Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover, launched in 2013, was heralded as salvation—a sleek bypass to untangle the chowk’s knots. Yet, transport planners and policymakers botched its execution. The flyover’s cloverleaf, meant to ensure smooth exits to Batamaloo and Maulana Azad Road, was inexplicably gutted before its 2019 completion. The Batamaloo limb, critical for commuters, was abandoned, forcing vehicles back into the chowk’s chaos. The Maulana Azad Road connection, a lifeline for the CBD, was similarly stunted, rendering the flyover a half-baked relic. Commuters like Zaheer Khan scorn its “useless ramps,” pointing to persistent bottlenecks at the chowk’s base. This wasn’t just poor engineering—it was a betrayal of intent, a failure to align vision with Srinagar’s needs. The flyover, meant to soar, instead limps, its truncated design mocking the city’s aspirations.
Policy Pitfalls
The Srinagar Smart City Mission, launched with fanfare, promised to revive Jehangir Chowk’s vibrancy. A new rotary, road upgrades, and a proposed Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover were pitched as transformative. Yet, these efforts have crumbled under the weight of planning ineptitude and policy inertia. The rotary’s modifications could not absolve the conflict but has plunged the Chowk into deeper disarray, with barricades, poor traffic management, choking already narrow roads, jams, and conflicts. Peak hours now stretch into gridlock marathons, with users slamming the “endless construction” and opaque visualization of the indelible traffic problems. The Dalgate-Jehangir Chowk flyover, a cornerstone of the Smart City vision, remains mired for unknown reasons—its Detailed Project Report still under appraisal, eluding relief. Plans to relocate the Jehangir Chowk bus stand, a major congestion driver, have stalled, with policymakers citing vague “logistical issues.” Traffic police, understaffed and overwhelmed, fail to tame the chowk’s anarchy, their efforts undercut by encroachments and zero coordination with civic bodies like the Srinagar Municipal Corporation or Smart City Limited linger a lasting solution for the heart of the city.
Urban Governance Crisis
This isn’t just a traffic problem—it’s a systemic collapse of urban governance. Planners have prioritized flashy projects like flyovers, rotaries, curb, and widening , over addressing root causes involving abysmal urban planning, a skeletal public transport system, and unchecked encroachments. Srinagar’s intra-city buses, erratic and underfunded, push residents toward private vehicles, swelling the chowk’s chaos. Sustainable options like light rail or cycle lanes, standard in vibrant cities, are absent, a policy blind spot that entrenches car-centric gridlock. Pedestrians, navigating vendor-clogged sidewalks and uneven pathways, are an afterthought in a city obsessed with vehicular fixes. The Smart City’s redesign of the CBD, including Maulana Azad Road and the Jhelum Riverfront, promises long-term gains but falters in execution, with traders lamenting disrupted business and residents decrying “band-aid” solutions. Seeing the continued traffic crisis people express in social media posts that “Jehangir Chowk needs planners who see the city, not just their desks and their bosses.”
Loss of Economic Vibrancy of Lal chowk
The toll is devastating. Lal Chowk, with its storied Ghanta Ghar and political legacy, loses its luster as customers avoid the traffic trap. Emergency services, critical in Kashmir’s fragile context, are paralyzed, with lives hanging in the balance. Jehangir Chowk’s cultural weight, a crossroads of Srinagar’s past and present, is buried under its reputation as a gridlock nightmare. Residents feel abandoned, their city’s heart left to fester by those entrusted to reshape it. The government’s rhetoric of “revolutionary” infrastructure rings hollow against the reality of half-built flyovers, creeping construction, and a chowk that chokes on its own vibrancy. The chowk’s descent into chaos began as Srinagar evolved, with Jehangir Chowk overtaking Mahraj Gunj as the city’s Central Business District. Its narrow roads, relics of a quieter past, buckled under the weight of modern traffic—cars, buses, and auto-rickshaws flooding in from Rambagh, Chanpora, and beyond. Planners failed to anticipate this surge, allowing lane conflicts to erupt as vehicles jostled in a free-for-all, crisscrossing with impunity. Bus stops, thoughtlessly positioned, became choke points, inviting chaotic halts that snarl traffic further. Three-wheeler parking, sprawling unchecked at the chowk’s edges, devoured precious road space, while street vendors and encroachments tightened the noose. Many commuters like endure hour-long ordeals for short trips, their frustration echoed across in various posts decrying the “daily torture” of navigating the chowk. Lal Chowk’s traders, reliant on footfall, watch customers vanish, deterred by the gridlock. Emergency services, vital in a volatile region, crawl through the mess, their sirens drowned in the cacophony of failure.
Call for Transformation-Rethinking Urbanism
To resurrect Jehangir Chowk, Srinagar demands a reckoning. Planners and policymakers must abandon piecemeal fixes for a bold, cohesive strategy. First, expedite infrastructure with accountability—complete the rotary and Dalgate flyover, learning from the Rambagh flyover’s debacle. Second, overhaul traffic management: relocate the bus stand, regulate three-wheeler parking, and clear encroachments with an iron hand. Third, revolutionize public transport with reliable buses and visionary options like light rail to curb private vehicle use. Fourth, prioritize pedestrians with safe walkways and crossings, restoring the chowk’s human pulse. Finally, engage communities including traders, commuters, locals to ensure inclusivity and plans to reflect reality without boardroom fantasies. Coordination between agencies, long a weak link, must be enforced.
Path Forward
Jehangir Chowk’s 50-year wound is an open-eye indictment of planning failures, transport missteps, and policy inertia. Lane conflicts, crisscrossing chaos, misplaced bus stops, and sprawling three-wheelers choke its flow, while the mangled flyover, its cloverleaf dreams severed, epitomizes lost promise. The Smart City’s vision drowns in delays and discord, leaving Srinagar’s heart to falter. This isn’t just a chowk—it’s the soul of a city, betrayed by those meant to shape its future. Only urgent, systemic action can restore its vibrant beat, freeing Srinagar from the shackles of its own heart. Flyover system needs to reconsidered and remodeled with comprehensive solution to traffic ills of the city. Finally, immediate and systemic action is necessary to restore Jehangir Chowk to its rightful place as a lively focal point of the city. Urban planners and policymakers must pivot their perspectives away from ad-hoc solutions toward bold, cohesive strategies that emphasize accountability, community involvement, and comprehensive urban planning. Only through such rigorous efforts can Srinagar's bustling heart reclaim its rhythm and continue to thrive in the face of growing challenges.
Email:------------------- hamwani24@gmail.com
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