If smartness were judged by fairy lights and Instagram reels, perhaps yes. But cities aren’t judged by how they look at night – they’re judged by how they work during the day. And if Polo View is the crown jewel of Srinagar’s Smart City mission, then we’re confusing decoration with development, illusion with innovation, and photo-ops with public service.

According to official figures, over Rs 980 crore has been spent under the Srinagar Smart City project –a staggering sum for cosmetic facelifts, elite zones, and street decor. But where’s the sewage reform, the traffic easing, the citizen comfort? The project seems less like a people-centric urban plan and more like a bureaucratic banquet, where contracts, tenders, and “inspections” serve private interests. Accountability must rest squarely on the Smart City CEO, Municipal Corporation, and the UT administration,........

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