KOCHI: The draft project proposals that will be submitted before the Centre for the 100 Smart City project will be presented before the newly-elected Kochi Corporation Council on Wednesday. According to officials, as nearly 80 per cent of the councillors are new, it is necessary to organise a detailed presentation of the projects.
Under the Smart City project of the Union Government, 100 cities will get financial support for development activities. Kochi found a place in the list of 98 cities identified by the Union Government. However, 20 cities that will be selected for the first phase will get the financial support in the first year. Keeping this in view, the previous council had already come up with a plan. The city had opted for the Retrofit model, which focuses on urban mobility and urban infrastructure betterment. The improvement of mobility between Fort Kochi and Mattanchery and the Central Business District (CDB) area between Ernakulam Durbar Hall Ground and High Court junction by introducing modernised ferry services is the major focus of the Kochi’s plan.
After getting the approval of the Council, the project will be submitted before the state-level power committee presided over by the Chief Secretary. The draft proposals should be submitted before the Centre by December 15. A stakeholders’ meeting of various development projects in the city was also held here on Tuesday.
Mayor Soumini Jain, Deputy Mayor T J Vinodh, Smart Kochi Mission project director A P M Mohammed Haneesh and other officials concerned attended the meet. District Collector M G Rajamanickam presided over the function.