The Indian Express             10.12.2013

Urban designers to give aesthetic touch to city roads

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee has approved the civic administration's proposal seeking setting up of a panel of urban designers to give aesthetic touch to city roads. The designers would be paid at least Rs 9 lakh per km for the purpose.

"The civic body adopted the idea of appointing a panel of designers from other major cities of the country. The panel will be responsible for giving an aesthetic look to city roads which were being developed haphazardly until now. This is the first time that the civic body will be using the services of urban designers for the purpose," said Vishal Tambe, Chairperson, Standing Committee, PMC.

He said the civic body plans to take up the project on pilot basis on four city roads. Consultants would ensure technical norms are followed while developing the roads, he added.

"Beautification of roads has never been given importance in the past. The PMC decided to rope in urban designers after similar initiative were take up in Delhi and Ahmedabad," said Pramod Nirbhavane, Additional City Engineer.

The designers would have to carry out surveys on land use, traffic, pedestrians, informal sector, street parking and landscape before starting the project. They will identify specific location for planting saplings, setting up bus stops and installing benches for pedestrians. Designing of pavements, activity places, and parking spots would be taken up after a proper study of traffic on these roads.

Nirbhavane said islands on various junctions had to be removed to facilitate efficient traffic management. Now, the urban planners would come up with a solution and set up islands on junctions to give facelift to the city roads, he added.

The civic body will pay Rs 9 lakh per km for roads that are 30 meter wide or less and Rs 10 lakh per km for wider roads. It will also pay Rs 60 per sq m for junctions or intersections that would be developed by the designers.