Rethinking Kashmir’s Flood Preparedness
Infrastructure
for Survival
Rethinking
Kashmir’s Flood Preparedness
"Once a lifeline of
Kashmir, the Jhelum River now stands as a growing threat. A decade after the
devastating 2014 floods, the question still looms large: Has enough been done
to prevent the next disaster?"
Peerzada Mohsin Shafi
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Jhelum is not merely a river that flows through Kashmir but it is the very
artery of life in the valley. From irrigating fields to providing drinking
water, from supporting ecosystems to defining the cultural landscape, the
Jhelum has always been central to the Kashmiri way of life. Yet, for all its
blessings, the river has also carried within it a shadow which is the recurring
fear of floods. The 2014 deluge remains etched in public memory as one of the
darkest chapters of modern Kashmir, exposing how fragile our flood protection
infrastructure really is. More than a decade later, the question still lingers,
Has enough been done to ensure that such devastation does not repeat? The
answer, unfortunately is far from reassuring. What Kashmir needs is not
piecemeal action but a comprehensive Jhelum River Mitigation Plan, a blueprint
that combines engineering, ecology and governance.
Over
the decades, the carrying capacity of the Jhelum has drastically reduced.
Siltation has emerged as one of the most pressing issues as the riverbed has
risen significantly. In many stretches, especially from Sangam to Srinagar, the
river struggles to carry peak flows. When heavy rainfall occurs, water has
nowhere to go but into habitations. Another grave challenge is the unchecked
encroachment on floodplains and wetlands which once served as natural buffers.
Hokersar wetland, once referred to as the “kidneys of Kashmir,” has shrunk
alarmingly, while Wular Lake, once counted among Asia’s largest freshwater
bodies, has lost a significant portion of its area to human intervention. With
these natural sponges gone, floodwaters are left without storage space. The
embankments along the Jhelum, many of which were built decades ago are weak,
cracked and in some cases illegally encroached upon, making them prone to
breaches. To add to this vulnerability, the Flood Spill Channel constructed
during the Dogra era, meant to act as a safety valve for excess water, has not
kept pace with modern requirements. Instead of providing relief, it remains
clogged and ineffective.
A
real mitigation plan must begin with large-scale dredging and desiltation. This
cannot be treated as a one-time emergency response but as a regular
institutionalized process. With modern dredging equipment and scientific
monitoring, the river’s capacity can be restored and maintained. Alongside
dredging, the embankments must be strengthened using modern engineering
solutions such as geo-synthetic materials and concrete reinforcements. Their
height needs to be raised at flood-prone stretches, and strict vigilance is
required to prevent illegal breaches and encroachments. Yet engineering alone
will not suffice. Reviving Kashmir’s wetlands is essential to any long-term
flood management strategy. Wetlands like Hokersar, Mirgund and Anchar need
immediate protection as natural flood cushions. Encroachments must be removed
with legal backing and a comprehensive wetland protection policy must be
implemented with seriousness. Wular Lake, being the largest natural storage
basin, should be integrated into flood management plans as a key buffer zone.
Equally
important is the modernisation of the Flood Spill Channel. It needs widening,
deepening and de-silting to carry large volumes of water away from Srinagar
during peak flows. If necessary, new spill channels should be designed in
accordance with present-day hydrological data. In addition, modern forecasting
and early warning systems should form the backbone of the mitigation plan.
Real-time hydrological monitoring stations need to be established across the
Jhelum’s tributaries, generating data-driven flood predictions. Linked with
mobile-based alert systems, such a network could provide precious time for
evacuation and emergency response. Urban planning too must be reformed.
Construction in floodplains should be banned outright, as Srinagar cannot afford
a repeat of 2014. Storm-water drainage systems, rainwater harvesting and
flood-resilient building codes must become compulsory for new constructions.
The
challenge is compounded by climate change, which has made rainfall patterns
more unpredictable and extreme. Infrastructure, therefore, must be designed
with resilience in mind. Green solutions such as reforestation along
riverbanks, bio-swales and permeable pavements can complement engineering
interventions, creating a balanced approach that is both sustainable and
effective. However, even the best designs will fail without efficient
governance. The Irrigation and Flood Control Department has implemented
projects with World Bank assistance, yet progress has been painfully slow. What
Kashmir requires is a unified river basin authority capable of coordinating
dredging, wetland protection, embankment strengthening, and urban planning in a
holistic manner. Financing such an ambitious programme will also demand a
sustainable model that blends state allocations, central support and even
private participation.
There
are valuable lessons to be learned from other flood-prone regions. The
Netherlands has created an integrated flood management system through its famed
Delta Works, safeguarding a country where much of the land lies below sea
level. Bangladesh, despite economic challenges, has invested heavily in flood
action plans that combine embankments, polders and community participation.
These models prove that disasters can be mitigated if the right vision and
commitment are in place. Kashmir does not need to copy them wholesale but can
certainly adapt their principles to its unique geography.
The
Jhelum River Mitigation Plan must be viewed not as a luxury but as
infrastructure for survival. Every year lost without action is a year closer to
another disaster. The cost of inaction will not only be measured in financial
damages but also in the lives and livelihoods of thousands who continue to live
in vulnerable zones. The 2014 floods should have been the turning point that
compelled a complete rethinking of Kashmir’s flood preparedness. Yet, a decade
later, the valley remains almost as vulnerable as it was back then. The
difference lies not in the lack of solutions but in the absence of political
will and administrative urgency.
If
Kashmir is to secure its future, the Jhelum must be treated as a shared
responsibility that demands collective effort from government institutions,
scientific bodies and civil society. The river has shaped the history of the
valley for centuries. Whether it shapes its future for better or for worse
depends entirely on the choices we make today.
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