THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A significant portion of the fund set aside for Thiruvananthapuram as part of the Smart City Mission is expected to lapse. A total of Rs 1,538 crore had been earmarked for various projects, including smart roads, according to the website of Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL), the special-purpose vehicle formed for the project.
However, SCTL has reportedly spent only Rs 115 crore so far on projects.
With the deadline for completion of projects set for June 2024, SCTL could find it impossible to spend the allocated amount.
Based on data available with SCTL, 31 projects have been completed, of the 104 proposed. Of the Rs 1,538 crore, central and state grants were to equally account for Rs 1,000 crore, with Rs 260.1 crore coming from the central schemes fund, Rs 135.7 crore through the urban local body (ULB) fund, and Rs 142.4 crore through public-private participation mode.
Anil Kumar Pandala, a road safety expert and former managing director of Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Co Ltd, said the smart city project in the state capital was being executed very poorly. “Unlike other cities in which smart city projects were successfully implemented, the project in the state capital has failed miserably. Be it standalone projects or roads, SCTL has wasted funds by implementing insignificant projects that are now of no use to the city. Of the Rs 1,538 crore allocated, SCTL would have spent Rs 115 crore. With the deadline nearing, it is almost certain that many crores of rupees will lapse,” Pandala told TNIE.
Similarly, many projects, including the installation of solar power lights at the ANERT building, were envisioned later, not being part of the initial list. Moreover, all the ongoing projects are progressing at a snail’s pace, with many of the completed projects suffering from being implemented unscientifically,” he said. SCTL and corporations are rushing to introduce new projects, so that the Smart City Mission fund can be fully utilised, say sources. Earlier, over 30 smart road projects in the capital, including MG Road, were dropped, and replaced by other infrastructure work.
According to sources, however, SCTL was only allocated Rs 1,182 crore, of which it has spent Rs 600 crore. “It is not true that we have spent just Rs 115 crore. But combining ongoing and other projects, we hope to spend the total earmarked amount before June,” a source said. SCTL had envisaged two smart road projects -- Corporation and KRFB -- as part of an area-based development (ABD) plan for improving road and junction infrastructure.
While the SCTL had a total of 40 smart roads under it, KRFB was entrusted with work on 64 roads. The work on 40 smart roads, as part of the project, commenced in 2020. The contractor who won the bid dug up the roads but left the work unfinished, citing Covid and a lack of labourers. The contract was terminated in 2022, and fresh bids were invited. But there were no new takers. The works were finally awarded this year, with June 2024 set as the deadline.