Elderly woman’s death after electrocution during Srinagar downpour raises safety concern

Fatal accident in Old City sparks fresh debate over drainage, public safety and urban infrastructure

Srinagar: A 65-year-old woman was electrocuted to death in Srinagar’s Naid Kadal area on Monday after coming into contact with an iron pole carrying live current while attempting to cross a waterlogged road during a sudden downpour.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman was heading home when heavy rain lashed the city. In an attempt to escape the downpour, she quickened her pace and tried to climb onto a footpath from a flooded road.

Witnesses said she reached out to an iron pole for support, apparently unaware that it was carrying live electricity. With her feet submerged in rainwater, the contact proved fatal, and she died on the spot.

The incident occurred as several parts of Srinagar witnessed severe waterlogging following a brief but intense spell of rain that disrupted traffic movement and stranded commuters. The tragedy has renewed concerns over public safety, drainage infrastructure and the effectiveness of urban development projects in the city.

Residents in several localities reported flooding of roads and residential areas, particularly in parts of the Old City.

A resident of Nawa Bazar said rainwater entered homes and damaged household belongings.

“The water entered our house and rooms as well. It is like a flood situation here and most of our household belongings have been damaged. Imagine, this is the result of just a brief spell of rain. What if a major flood strikes? We will have no place to survive,” the resident said.

The woman’s death and widespread waterlogging also triggered criticism on social media, where users shared videos showing inundated roads in Nawa Bazar, Rajouri Kadal, Naid Kadal, Khanyar and Baba Demb.

Many questioned the effectiveness of infrastructure upgrades undertaken under the Smart City Mission, while others used satire and popular Kashmiri songs to highlight what they described as recurring drainage failures.

Several social media users termed the incident a “man-made tragedy” and blamed inadequate civic infrastructure for turning a routine spell of rain into a fatal accident.

Responding to the criticism, Chief Engineer of Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) Abdul Qayoom Kirmani said many of the waterlogged roads do not fall under the agency’s jurisdiction and were not upgraded under the Smart City project.

“If the drainage system in Srinagar has failed, then where did the water go within hours?” Kirmani told Free Press Kashmir. “The downpour was intense, which resulted in waterlogging, but the water receded within hours. That means the drainage system is functional.”

Chief Engineer of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Er Nisar Ahmad Lone, did not respond to repeated calls from Free Press Kashmir seeking comment on the electrocution incident.

The incident has once again drawn attention to public safety concerns during periods of heavy rainfall and the vulnerability of residents navigating waterlogged streets in Srinagar.