BREAKING NEWS
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people
he Sanatnagar bypass flyover project in Srinagar, planned to reduce chronic traffic bottleneck at National Highway-44 intersection, has become a symbol of poor management and delays due to accomplishment jinx. It has become emblematic of poor planning and bureaucratic inertia primarily due to flawed project formulation, as result of technical oversights, project is mired in delays and stalemate. This is mainly due to height of the fly over violates safety rules of a high-voltage power line that runs over it and this aspect has been ignored during the project formulation stage by the team and have trapped the project in a time loop. It seems the team has looked on the ground and beheld only earthy elements, underscoring presence of 132 KV line crossing over the flyover. It is a very serious hiatus which threatens both worker’s safety, future of commuter security and is a vivid example of undermining the importance of a vital on-site factor. It has conceived the same without delving into vital specific onsite element during the project conception. It is also a typical example of a project falter where coordination gaps and poor planning leaves the stakeholders up the creek and every unaddressed gap acts as a crack in the expected benefits, once left unresolved it is likely going to turn perplexing for the commuters. The project is a standing example of unsolved gaps in planning which is eroding its goals, targets, momentum, and is turning prospects into outlandish delay. The project was approved around 2018 as part of a plan to improve Srinagar’s roads, along with similar initiatives at Bemina, Hyderpora, Nowgam, and Lasjan along the same road. Execution/completion issues have frustrated commuters, general public and made the project timeline indeterminate.
Diluted Project Benefits
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people. It is also anticipated to yield economic benefits for Srinagar by enhancing access to markets and tourist attractions, ultimately supporting local businesses once the construction is completed. The project aligns with urban development goals, suggesting modernization and possible investment. For security forces, it would ensure faster and secured travel along a crucial highway, improving operational efficiency. In the long term, it might lead to better public transport or pedestrian pathways, enhancing connectivity in Srinagar. However, due to the accomplishment jinx, it has turned the flyover project into an urban myth.
Conception Flaws
The project seems to have indelible conception flaws and prefeasibility voids, vitiating the project targets and alienates the stakeholders by consigning the purpose to the shadows. These expected advantages have not materialized due to clear flaws in planning and execution, especially regarding the transmission line. The power line, is a pat of national grid managed by Power Grid Corporation on India Limited , does not have enough clearance from the flyover, posing electrocution or structural damage risks, particularly in Kashmir’s winter. While KPDCL has proposed raising the line or lowering the flyover’s height, both options need land acquisition and funds, which have not yet been materialized. This planning oversight shows a serious failure in utility mapping in conceiving a vital project. Effecting the project timelines with delays extending well beyond the original target. By 2022, the National Highways Authority of India was still working on the flyover’s design, unlike other projects at Bemina and Nowgam, which made quicker progress. The project is basically a proposal envisaged in the Master plan 2035 and stands to a vital recommendation in comprehensive mobility plan for Srinagar. Since the two plan being merely proposals which is to be detailed out while framing DPR including all on-sit and off site factors along with prefeasibility report to ensure its impact assessment. Most probably the project seems to have been conceived in hush-hush manner without feasibility studies which has landed in the present predicament.
Nightmarish Ordeal to Commuters
Construction has turned Sanatnagar into a nightmare for commuters due to narrow roads, diversions, and barricades causing traffic jams. Daily gridlock has affected students, workers, and emergency services trying to reach hospitals. Local businesses have suffered from reduced customers due to noise and restricted access, with reports highlighting declining sales. Pedestrian safety is compromised due to the absence of temporary walkways, forcing people to navigate dangerous areas. Financially, the project was initially budgeted at ₹40-50 crore, but costs may increase due to redesigns or utility adjustments. Critics have termed it a "white elephant," suggesting that funds could have been better used elsewhere. The ongoing issues erode public trust in governance, fostering cynicism about infrastructure projects in Kashmir.
Responsibility for the situation primarily lies with the project formulation team responsible for the Detailed Project Report. Their lack of foresight about the power line suggests either rushed work or inadequate expertise. The National Highways Authority of India, overseeing the project, approved flawed designs and failed to resolve issues early, elongating the timeline. The J&K government shares responsibility for slow land acquisition and coordination. Political instability has likely impeded progress but does not excuse the department's inaction. KPDCL could have reported issues earlier, but their current attempts to find solutions are a positive step. Meanwhile, contractors and design firms likely relied on the faulty report without proper checks, a recurrent issue in India's infrastructure sector. Broader problems like underfunding, fragmented coordination, and premature project announcements complicate accountability further. Although the suggestion that the flyover troubles "the whole Kashmir population" is exaggerated, its impact on Srinagar is clear. Commuters face significant delays affecting access to schools and hospitals. Businesses near the junction are struggling, with some calling their shops "invisible" due to barriers. Emergency services are hindered by traffic, potentially delaying critical responses. Overall, the persistent delays relate to broader disenchantment with governance and infrastructure promises, as one post described it as "endless torture. " The flyover's effects are largely confined to Srinagar and adjacent areas. Rural districts face different challenges unrelated to the flyover. While delays could push up transport costs, the overall influence on rural Kashmir is limited. Construction has led to environmental issues, adding dust and noise while increasing vehicle emissions during traffic jams. Socially, the disruption aggravates community patience, occasionally leading to protests.
The oversight of the transmission line signifies deeper flaws in planning. Detailed utility mapping and inter-agency collaboration should have been prioritized. Those involved should examine their processes to avoid future blunders. The approval of flawed designs highlights a mindset focused on deadlines over thoroughness. Delays and inaction reflect bureaucratic sluggishness, complicated by local land laws. A lack of funding for relocating the power line adds more challenges. Public anger, though justified, often oversimplifies complex problems. Better communication and community engagement could relieve some tensions. Immediate actions are needed to move forward. NHAI and KPDCL should finalize plans regarding the power line and flyover, securing land and funds promptly while providing a clear project timeline. Traffic management and improved safety measures should be implemented to ease commute challenges. Future projects require more thorough feasibility studies and community updates to rebuild trust. An inquiry into this oversight with publicly shared results would help prevent similar issues. If not addressed, the Sanatnagar flyover project risks being a cautionary tale of poor execution overshadowing its ambitious goals.
Immediate Actions and Cautions
The transmission line oversight isn’t just a technical error but it is symptomatic of rushed planning and weak accountability. Feasibility studies should have involved rigorous utility mapping especially for high risk infrastructure like power line. It is a NHAI and J&K government’s failure to show greater steadfastness in such projects and also points fingers towards bureaucratic inertia or cost cutting on pre-construction surveys. Public narratives blame the project team are valid but oversimplify the issue. Since Sanatnagar flyover has the potential to decongest roads, ease traffic, enhance Srinagar's economy, and modernize infrastructure. Still, its benefits are hindered by failures, primarily due to the problematic transmission line that affects safety and leads to delays. Each party involved shares the responsibility for the current state of the project, reflecting both personal mistakes and larger weaknesses in India's development system. While the flyover disrupts daily life for many in Srinagar, its impact does not extend deeply into all of Kashmir. With decisive steps toward safety, transparency, and accountability, the flyover can still become a successful project. Without these changes, it will remain a source of frustration for those affected.
Finally sorting the issue by greater coordination to shift the power line is urgently needed to operationalize the flyover at an earliest. Besides stricter oversight is needed to ensure smooth implementation of projects in the future for avoiding repeating of cautionary tales of “ambition undone by poor execution”.
Email:-----------------hamwani24@gmail.com
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people
he Sanatnagar bypass flyover project in Srinagar, planned to reduce chronic traffic bottleneck at National Highway-44 intersection, has become a symbol of poor management and delays due to accomplishment jinx. It has become emblematic of poor planning and bureaucratic inertia primarily due to flawed project formulation, as result of technical oversights, project is mired in delays and stalemate. This is mainly due to height of the fly over violates safety rules of a high-voltage power line that runs over it and this aspect has been ignored during the project formulation stage by the team and have trapped the project in a time loop. It seems the team has looked on the ground and beheld only earthy elements, underscoring presence of 132 KV line crossing over the flyover. It is a very serious hiatus which threatens both worker’s safety, future of commuter security and is a vivid example of undermining the importance of a vital on-site factor. It has conceived the same without delving into vital specific onsite element during the project conception. It is also a typical example of a project falter where coordination gaps and poor planning leaves the stakeholders up the creek and every unaddressed gap acts as a crack in the expected benefits, once left unresolved it is likely going to turn perplexing for the commuters. The project is a standing example of unsolved gaps in planning which is eroding its goals, targets, momentum, and is turning prospects into outlandish delay. The project was approved around 2018 as part of a plan to improve Srinagar’s roads, along with similar initiatives at Bemina, Hyderpora, Nowgam, and Lasjan along the same road. Execution/completion issues have frustrated commuters, general public and made the project timeline indeterminate.
Diluted Project Benefits
The flyover was expected to turn the crowded intersection at Sanatnagar into a smoother transit area, easing the pressure of through and heavy traffic, tourists, security convoys from local traffic. By separating traffic levels, it is expected to decrease travel times, accidents, and excessive daily commutes for many people. It is also anticipated to yield economic benefits for Srinagar by enhancing access to markets and tourist attractions, ultimately supporting local businesses once the construction is completed. The project aligns with urban development goals, suggesting modernization and possible investment. For security forces, it would ensure faster and secured travel along a crucial highway, improving operational efficiency. In the long term, it might lead to better public transport or pedestrian pathways, enhancing connectivity in Srinagar. However, due to the accomplishment jinx, it has turned the flyover project into an urban myth.
Conception Flaws
The project seems to have indelible conception flaws and prefeasibility voids, vitiating the project targets and alienates the stakeholders by consigning the purpose to the shadows. These expected advantages have not materialized due to clear flaws in planning and execution, especially regarding the transmission line. The power line, is a pat of national grid managed by Power Grid Corporation on India Limited , does not have enough clearance from the flyover, posing electrocution or structural damage risks, particularly in Kashmir’s winter. While KPDCL has proposed raising the line or lowering the flyover’s height, both options need land acquisition and funds, which have not yet been materialized. This planning oversight shows a serious failure in utility mapping in conceiving a vital project. Effecting the project timelines with delays extending well beyond the original target. By 2022, the National Highways Authority of India was still working on the flyover’s design, unlike other projects at Bemina and Nowgam, which made quicker progress. The project is basically a proposal envisaged in the Master plan 2035 and stands to a vital recommendation in comprehensive mobility plan for Srinagar. Since the two plan being merely proposals which is to be detailed out while framing DPR including all on-sit and off site factors along with prefeasibility report to ensure its impact assessment. Most probably the project seems to have been conceived in hush-hush manner without feasibility studies which has landed in the present predicament.
Nightmarish Ordeal to Commuters
Construction has turned Sanatnagar into a nightmare for commuters due to narrow roads, diversions, and barricades causing traffic jams. Daily gridlock has affected students, workers, and emergency services trying to reach hospitals. Local businesses have suffered from reduced customers due to noise and restricted access, with reports highlighting declining sales. Pedestrian safety is compromised due to the absence of temporary walkways, forcing people to navigate dangerous areas. Financially, the project was initially budgeted at ₹40-50 crore, but costs may increase due to redesigns or utility adjustments. Critics have termed it a "white elephant," suggesting that funds could have been better used elsewhere. The ongoing issues erode public trust in governance, fostering cynicism about infrastructure projects in Kashmir.
Responsibility for the situation primarily lies with the project formulation team responsible for the Detailed Project Report. Their lack of foresight about the power line suggests either rushed work or inadequate expertise. The National Highways Authority of India, overseeing the project, approved flawed designs and failed to resolve issues early, elongating the timeline. The J&K government shares responsibility for slow land acquisition and coordination. Political instability has likely impeded progress but does not excuse the department's inaction. KPDCL could have reported issues earlier, but their current attempts to find solutions are a positive step. Meanwhile, contractors and design firms likely relied on the faulty report without proper checks, a recurrent issue in India's infrastructure sector. Broader problems like underfunding, fragmented coordination, and premature project announcements complicate accountability further. Although the suggestion that the flyover troubles "the whole Kashmir population" is exaggerated, its impact on Srinagar is clear. Commuters face significant delays affecting access to schools and hospitals. Businesses near the junction are struggling, with some calling their shops "invisible" due to barriers. Emergency services are hindered by traffic, potentially delaying critical responses. Overall, the persistent delays relate to broader disenchantment with governance and infrastructure promises, as one post described it as "endless torture. " The flyover's effects are largely confined to Srinagar and adjacent areas. Rural districts face different challenges unrelated to the flyover. While delays could push up transport costs, the overall influence on rural Kashmir is limited. Construction has led to environmental issues, adding dust and noise while increasing vehicle emissions during traffic jams. Socially, the disruption aggravates community patience, occasionally leading to protests.
The oversight of the transmission line signifies deeper flaws in planning. Detailed utility mapping and inter-agency collaboration should have been prioritized. Those involved should examine their processes to avoid future blunders. The approval of flawed designs highlights a mindset focused on deadlines over thoroughness. Delays and inaction reflect bureaucratic sluggishness, complicated by local land laws. A lack of funding for relocating the power line adds more challenges. Public anger, though justified, often oversimplifies complex problems. Better communication and community engagement could relieve some tensions. Immediate actions are needed to move forward. NHAI and KPDCL should finalize plans regarding the power line and flyover, securing land and funds promptly while providing a clear project timeline. Traffic management and improved safety measures should be implemented to ease commute challenges. Future projects require more thorough feasibility studies and community updates to rebuild trust. An inquiry into this oversight with publicly shared results would help prevent similar issues. If not addressed, the Sanatnagar flyover project risks being a cautionary tale of poor execution overshadowing its ambitious goals.
Immediate Actions and Cautions
The transmission line oversight isn’t just a technical error but it is symptomatic of rushed planning and weak accountability. Feasibility studies should have involved rigorous utility mapping especially for high risk infrastructure like power line. It is a NHAI and J&K government’s failure to show greater steadfastness in such projects and also points fingers towards bureaucratic inertia or cost cutting on pre-construction surveys. Public narratives blame the project team are valid but oversimplify the issue. Since Sanatnagar flyover has the potential to decongest roads, ease traffic, enhance Srinagar's economy, and modernize infrastructure. Still, its benefits are hindered by failures, primarily due to the problematic transmission line that affects safety and leads to delays. Each party involved shares the responsibility for the current state of the project, reflecting both personal mistakes and larger weaknesses in India's development system. While the flyover disrupts daily life for many in Srinagar, its impact does not extend deeply into all of Kashmir. With decisive steps toward safety, transparency, and accountability, the flyover can still become a successful project. Without these changes, it will remain a source of frustration for those affected.
Finally sorting the issue by greater coordination to shift the power line is urgently needed to operationalize the flyover at an earliest. Besides stricter oversight is needed to ensure smooth implementation of projects in the future for avoiding repeating of cautionary tales of “ambition undone by poor execution”.
Email:-----------------hamwani24@gmail.com
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