VISAKHAPATNAM: The Smart City project works got a big push with the government releasing Rs186 crore for Visakhapatnam Smart City Corporation. It includes the Central share of Rs 100 crore and the State margin money. A GVMC official said here on Monday that a GO was issued sanctioning the funds for the project. Over Rs1000 crore worth works have been proposed under the project.
The funds will be utilised for the ongoing works which were resumed recently after four months. The projects include smart streets, 24x7 water supply, semi-automatic multi-level parking and solar power unit.
The YSRC government, which had put the project on hold, recently gave its nod for executing the works that have been completed over 25 per cent.
The indoor sports arena project undertaken at MVP Colony at a cost of Rs 25 crore is one of them. Under the Area-Based Development component, covering of minor drains with slabs and development of greenery in available open spaces will be taken up in two packages at a cost of Rs 7 crore and Rs 4 crore.
Construction of additional classrooms at Dandu Bazaar GVMC School will be expedited. Modernisation of civic service centres in the GVMC main office, Zone III, Zone IV, Zone V, Anakapalle and Bhimunipatnam that has been undertaken at a cost of Rs 79 lakh and greenery improvement and beautification at Rockdale Layout and Peda Waltair ward office at Rs 70 lakh are also part of the project.
Underground drainage network, retrofitting of two pump-houses and upgrading the sewage treatment plants at Appu Ghar and in One Town to improve treatment levels to bring down Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) have also been cleared.