Letter To Editor: Kashmir Capital Must Restore Its Waterways

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar earned the title Venice of the East through its deep and living connection with water. Lakes, canals, wetlands, and springs sustained the city's ecology, culture, economy, and daily life. Today, that connection faces severe challenges.

The urban water bodies now mirror a history of neglect, encroachment, and ecological disruption that affects every corner of life in Srinagar.

ADVERTISEMENT

Anchar Lake struggles to survive while Dal Lake, particularly its interiors in Nowpora, Khayam, Rainawari, and other downtown neighbourhoods, carries untreated sewage, plastic, and waste.

Historic kuls and canals have vanished or become stagnant drains. Springs, known locally as naags, have disappeared due to encroachments. Wetlands have been labeled vacant land and converted into unsafe colonies.

Each of these changes contributes to a cascading ecological crisis, from shrinking lakes to rising floods and declining groundwater.

Some restoration projects have achieved limited success, such as initiatives at Khushal Sar, Gil Sar, and efforts to revive springs. These deserve recognition, but they do not address the scale of damage the city has endured.

Dal Lake is often cleaned for tourism, creating an appearance of vitality while the interior waters remain polluted. Stormwater drains and sewer lines continue to discharge directly into lakes, and roads channel rainwater mixed with waste into these fragile ecosystems.

The outer appearance improves while the underlying system continues to struggle.

Srinagar faces a paradox. The city has abundant water, but water sources have become unsafe for drinking due to human action.

Pollution, encroachment, and disregard for natural flows have disrupted the balance that once sustained the city. Smart City projects, including beautified embankments and water transport plans, show visible change, but the focus on aesthetics without addressing the ecological foundation limits their effectiveness.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dal Lake serves as the heart of the water system, with kuls and canals as arteries and wetlands as lungs. Wetlands absorb floods, recharge groundwater, filter pollutants, and provide habitats for birds.

Compromising these natural systems directly threatens the city's character.

The history of water management in Srinagar serves stark lessons. During Sultan Zain

Abidin's reign, the city benefited from visionary hydrological planning.

Nallah Mar, a five-kilometre canal, connected Dal Lake to Anchar Lake and the Jhelum, keeping the city clean and cool. In the 1970s, Nallah Mar was filled to construct a road, transforming a functional water artery into a congested traffic corridor.

Bridges that once thrived as hubs of commerce now exist only in names, while the water beneath them vanished or turned into sewage.

Cities around the world show that restoration is possible. Utrecht in the Netherlands reopened a canal buried in the 1970s, reviving urban life, property values, and ecological balance.

A similar approach in Srinagar could restore Nallah Mar as a flowing canal flanked by narrow roads or transit lanes. Such restoration would allow downtown Srinagar to return to a vibrant waterfront and reconnect citizens with their living waterways.

MENAFN05022026000215011059ID1110702736