Top-notch achievement
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city has finally made it to the list of Smart Cities, paving way for more infrastructural development. In the third round of cities to be considered for the project, Thiruvananthapuram grabbed the top slot from among 30 cities. When Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu made the announcement on Friday, the city corporation finally got something to cheer after being in news for rise in fever cases.
Topping the list has taken the edge out of the flak it drew for not being competent enough like Kochi which made it to the chart much earlier. For past nine months the corporation had been carrying out a massive exercise to come up with a final proposal for submission. A large cross section of people were involved in making the plan. Ward level and expert meetings were held, suggestions were invited from students and NGOs etc. Social media was effectively utilised to collect suggestions, make surveys etc. Even electronic voting machines were deployed to choose locations for area-based development for Smart City.
“The result is an achievement for the corporation. Public participation was key in developing proposals for submission,” said Mayor V K Prasanth.
The heart of Thiruvananthapuram will undergo major development activities in the next five years. In a poll, the public had chosen areas in and around East Fort for Area Based Development, one of the components of Smart City project.
Area based development plans include improving basic urban services, effective utilisation of land, maintaining cultural heritage, eco friendly initiatives and making the city inclusive in social and economic aspects. Pan city solutions involve using information and communication technology for municipal service and infrastructure. Out of the 24 issues it has shortlisted nine.
An integrated centralised control room will be set up to integrate ICT solutions in smart water network, traffic and transportation, smart mosquito density system, safety and security, disaster management and solid waste management. Another pan city aspect that will use ICT is the setting up of an e-governance portal to connect with citizens and administration.
Corporation presented the final blueprint of Smart City proposal which estimates an expenditure of over
Rs 1,500 crore. The submission was made on March 24.
The city will get portions of the central funds over a period of five years to develop basic infrastructure, including water and power supply, sanitation management, efficient public transport, e-governance and IT connectivity.
What is Smart City Project
Smart City challenge project is an urban renewal programme initiated by the Union Government to make the city friendly and sustainable for the people from all class of society. The project’s prime aim is to develop basic infrastructure in the city so that it can compete with the standards of other metropolitan cities in the country. The basic infrastructure includes proper drinking water supply, sanitation, waste management, effective transportation and robust IT connectivity. Each city in the list will be given Central assistance of Rs 200 crore in the first year and Rs 100 crore each during three financial years.