SRINAGAR: The Centre on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that 157 of the 161 projects sanctioned under the Srinagar Smart City Mission have been completed at a cost of Rs 3,530 crore, accounting for 98 per cent of the total projects approved for the city.
Replying to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 882 raised by MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said that, as reported by Srinagar Smart City Limited, the city had undertaken 161 projects worth Rs 3,633 crore across multiple sectors, including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), smart mobility, smart governance, smart energy and the environment. Of these, 157 projects had been completed as of March 31, 2026.
The MP had sought details on whether the Centre had taken cognisance of the widespread waterlogging and flood-like conditions witnessed in Srinagar following recent rainfall despite expenditure under the Smart City Mission, whether the project included storm-water drainage and flood mitigation works, the reasons for continued waterlogging, and whether any technical audit had been initiated.
In its reply, the Ministry said Smart City Proposals are prepared locally based on city-specific requirements and are approved by the State High Powered Steering Committee after consultations with stakeholders, including citizens. The ministry, however, did not specify individual storm-water drainage or flood mitigation projects, nor did it provide an assessment of the causes of the recent waterlogging.
On accountability, the government said audits of Smart City Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) are conducted by the State Auditor General under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013.
The ministry added that implementation of the Smart Cities Mission is monitored through a multi-tier review mechanism, including an Apex Committee headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs at the national level, the State High Powered Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary at the State or Union Territory level, and the Smart City Advisory Forum at the city level to facilitate coordination among stakeholders.
