WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: More than three years after the QR code-based digital door numbering system for houses and commercial establishments in Srinagar was reported to be nearing completion, the project remains largely incomplete, with the facility introduced in only two to three areas of the city.
The project, launched under the Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) initiative in 2021, was aimed at assigning a unique digital address to every household and establishment in Srinagar through a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based mapping exercise.
In August 2023, officials had indicated that the survey of approximately two lakh structures had been completed, with work continuing in the remaining areas. The initiative was expected to be followed by the installation of digital door number plates carrying unique identification numbers, address details and QR codes outside residential and commercial properties.
However, despite the passage of more than three years since the project was reported to be nearing completion, its implementation on the ground remains limited, raising questions over the pace of execution of an initiative intended to improve urban services and address identification across Srinagar.
The project was being implemented by SSCL in collaboration with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, New Delhi, and GeoVista.
Under the initiative, GIS technology, GPS and satellite imagery were used to map plots, residential houses, commercial establishments and educational institutions across the city. A physical survey was also conducted to collect information about buildings, plinth areas, land use, commercial activities, electricity connections, water sources, septic tanks and the layout of lanes and by-lanes.
The collected information was intended to form the basis of a comprehensive digital addressing system, under which areas and lanes would be systematically identified and numbered to provide each premises with a distinct address.
Apart from establishing a digital addressing system, the information collected during the survey was also expected to assist the Srinagar Municipal Corporation in property tax-related work.
In August 2023, an SMC official had said that the data relating to residential properties, commercial establishments and plots would be useful for property tax implementation, adding that the corporation was working on software for the purpose.
The GIS database was expected to provide details about properties and their usage, potentially helping the civic body organise property-related information more systematically.
However, with the door numbering project still largely incomplete, the progress of the initiative remains a concern, particularly given its proposed role in improving municipal administration and property records.
The QR-based addressing system was also envisaged as a tool to improve the delivery of essential civic services, including drainage, sanitation, snow clearance, electricity supply, ration distribution and road network management.
Officials had also highlighted its potential to improve emergency response by enabling authorities and service providers to identify locations more accurately.
The project was expected to bring greater efficiency to urban governance by creating a standardised digital address for every property in Srinagar.Set featured image
Despite these proposed benefits, the limited implementation of the system in two to three areas indicates that the city is yet to achieve the broader coverage envisaged when the project was announced.
The remaining work, including the rollout of QR-enabled door number plates across the city, will be crucial to realising the project’s intended benefits.
