Srinagar, May 13 -- Morning traffic now crawls through Srinagar with the impatience of a much larger city. Cars jam roads that once held bicycles, handcarts and pedestrian footfall. New hotels rise beside old neighbourhoods. Glass-fronted cafes crowd streets where bakeries and bookstores once drew families through long afternoons.

Srinagar still looks beautiful from a distance, but residents increasingly struggle to recognize the city they grew up in.

Construction has become the dominant language of modern Srinagar. Apartment blocks climb upward without coherent planning. Commercial complexes consume open land once used for orchards, playgrounds and community gatherings. Bulldozers move faster than public policy.

Every season brings an...