Resilient Urban Heritage: Vulnerability Assessment and Evaluation of Conservation Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction of Srinagar City

Abstract

Srinagar, an ancient city, is well known for its heritage wealth with more than 1,200 years of urban history established in the region by passing through the greatest kingdoms in the past. Globally, due to many challenges, such as extreme urbanization, rapid population growth and climate change crisis, the urban heritage buildings, monuments and sites are subject to degradation and extinction over time. The present study intends to identify and evaluate the heritage sites located in the Srinagar city and assess their spatial and structural vulnerabilities. An extensive field survey was conducted by which 20 structural heritage sites dating back to the 1800s and before has been identified for evaluation. Vulnerability analysis of sites was done based on seven selected parameters fabricated within the 300-metre buffer zones in the geographic information system (GIS) environment. An insight into conservation strategies and planning measures and challenges in the disaster risk reduction of heritage resources have been portrayed in the study. The results show that the Srinagar city has significant heritage structures with beautiful architecture that is now in a dilapidated and deserted condition with limited implication of the conservation strategies and less involvement of the stakeholders. The results indicate a dire need for sustainable conservation measures incorporated for disaster risk reduction of the urban heritage. The study holds great significance for the decision-makers in policy development and planning, especially for the management of the sites.