Asif Iqbal
Srinagar, Dec 19 (GNS): The abandoned site of the former Batamaloo bus stand in Srinagar has raised uncomfortable questions about the inclusiveness of the city’s Smart City project, with traders and commuters asking whether Batamaloo has been pushed “out of sight and out of mind” by the authorities.
Ever since the bus stand was relocated to Parimpora, the once-vibrant Batamaloo area has been left to decay. The site now resembles a cess pool, marked by accumulated waste, stagnant water and a persistent stench that has become a daily torment for pedestrians and commuters passing through the locality.
Shopkeepers and small business operators told GNS that the neglect has hit livelihoods hard. Once a bustling commercial zone with steady footfall, the area has witnessed a sharp decline in customer movement, as people avoid the foul-smelling stretch. “This place was full of activity. Today, it feels abandoned, as if it doesn’t exist on the city’s development map,” said a trader.
The deteriorating conditions have also sparked serious health concerns. Locals fear that the unhygienic environment could turn into a breeding ground for diseases, particularly during the summer months. Despite the risks, traders allege that no sustained sanitation or restoration efforts have been undertaken.
What has intensified resentment is the perception that Batamaloo has been apparently excluded from the Srinagar Smart City vision. While development works and beautification projects are visible in select pockets of the city, the former bus stand site remains untouched. “If Smart City is about clean, functional and people-friendly spaces, why has this area been forgotten?” another shopkeeper questioned.
Those affected claim that repeated appeals to civic bodies have yielded little response, reinforcing the belief that authorities have chosen to look the other way after shifting the bus terminal. The absence of any clear plan to reuse or redevelop the strategically located site, they argue, reflects poor urban planning and governance.
The traders have urged the administration to immediately take cognisance of the situation, launch sanitation drives and announce a concrete redevelopment plan. Warning that continued neglect will further erode trust in civic institutions, they said Batamaloo’s decay stands in stark contrast to the promises of inclusive and sustainable urban development under the Smart City project. (GNS)