SRINAGAR: A worsening drinking water shortage has hit several parts of Srinagar, with residents from both downtown and uptown localities alleging prolonged disruption in potable water supply amid the ongoing heatwave, forcing many households to depend on private sources, neighbours and purchased water for their daily needs.
Residents of Habba Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Chotta Bazar, Guru Bazar, Karfali Mohalla, Qamarwari and adjoining areas, as well as Karan Nagar, Batmaloo, Natipora and Rawalpora, said they have been receiving little or no drinking water for several days. They claimed the shortage has severely affected routine household activities, with many families exhausting their stored water.
Shafiq Ahmed Mir, a resident of Karfali Mohalla, said the absence of a regular water supply had caused significant hardship, with people struggling even to access drinking water. Ashiq Khan of Chotta Bazar said residents were being forced to purchase packaged drinking water despite having household tap connections and paying water charges.
Residents of Guru Bazar and Karan Nagar alleged that repeated complaints to the authorities had failed to bring any improvement, while Mukhtar Wani of Qamarwari said several households were relying entirely on private arrangements to meet their daily water requirements.
Similar complaints were raised by residents of Batmaloo, Natipora and Rawalpora, who alleged that irregular water supply has become a recurring problem during the summer months.
Responding to the concerns, a Superintending Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department said there was no major issue with the overall water supply system.
A Public Health Engineering (PHE) wing official, however, said the department receives around 10 to 20 water supply complaints every day. The official said the highest number of complaints originate from areas supplied by the Dodhganga Water Treatment Plant, including Rawalpora, Rajbagh, Kursu Rajbagh and the Batmaloo belt.
According to the official, the department dispatches around 10 to 20 water tankers daily to localities reporting shortages. The official added that, at the departmental level, there was no water supply issue affecting Srinagar’s downtown areas.
Residents have urged the Jal Shakti Department to restore regular drinking water supply without delay and implement long-term measures to prevent recurring disruptions, stressing that access to safe drinking water is an essential public service.
