Over ₹800 crore spent, yet roads, water, and power infrastructure remain broken
By: Javid Amin | 11 Aug 2025
Despite more than ₹800 crore spent under the Smart City Mission, Jammu continues to struggle with basic urban infrastructure, undermining the government’s claims of transforming the city into a model of modern, sustainable living. Residents say the initiative has resulted in cosmetic upgrades—widened footpaths, a few LED lights, and decorative signboards—while core civic issues remain unresolved.
Ground Reality: A City of Daily Frustrations
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Pothole-Ridden Roads: Commuters complain of poor road quality and frequent damage after rains.
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Erratic Power Supply: Regular outages disrupt households and businesses alike.
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Water Shortages: In several localities, piped water arrives once every three days.
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Footpath Overreach: Expansion in busy markets like Apsara Road has narrowed carriageways, worsening traffic, without new parking spaces.
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Smart Poles Gone Dark: LED poles installed under the project are now mostly non-functional, with some dismantled due to copper theft.
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Monsoon Flooding: Inadequate drainage turns rain showers into urban floods, damaging property and choking roads.
Public Sentiment
“Beautification alone doesn’t make a city smart. We need functioning infrastructure, not just signboards and tall lights,” said former MLA Yogesh Sawhney.
Business owners in old city areas echo similar concerns, arguing that government spending has focused on visibility over viability.
What’s Missing in Jammu’s ‘Smart’ Vision
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Smart Traffic Lights: Still absent, adding to chronic congestion.
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Heritage Neglect: Landmarks like Mubarak Mandi palace remain in disrepair despite tourism potential.
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Poor Complaint Redressal: No effective system for addressing water tanker shortages or civic grievances.
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Lack of Climate Resilience: Projects fail to account for increasing rainfall intensity and flood risks.
Accountability Demands from Citizens
Activists and residents are calling for:
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Comprehensive Audit of Smart City spending.
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Transparent Project Reporting with measurable outcomes.
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Citizen Participation in planning and monitoring.
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Sustainable, Climate-Resilient Infrastructure to avoid future flooding disasters.
