Projects and development works worth around Rs 300 crore have been identified in the Fort City in the next five years by a Chennai-based private consultancy company, ICRA Management Consultancy Services Ltd. The company has been involved in conducting a survey in the city for the past three months on various aspects of development in the recently upgraded Corporation. The company, appointed by the State government funding agency Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Services Limited ,would ascertain the possibilities of new developments to fund the projects, if the local body approached the funding agency in future.
The company came up with an interim report and, before drafting the final report, would seek suggestions from the people of various walks of life. A power point presentation titled ‘City Development Plan for Extended Vellore City Municipal Corporation after 20 years’ was screened at the council meeting. Senior Research Officer Ramesh Ramakrishna said that the final report of the study would be ready in a month.
Head of the Urban Infrastructure of the company, Anandh, in his presentation, said that three areas that need to be focused in Vellore were water supply, cleanliness and expansion of Under Ground Drainage System. He also said for a city like Vellore, where ground water dependency was more, the seven lakes and 22 water channels within the city limits should be desilted and restored, in a bid to improve the ground water level.
Noting that the revenue availability for the year 2011-2012 was not promising, the tax collection should be regularised.