The Indian Express                19.07.2013

90% urban infrastructure projects under JNNURM completed: RMC

“Most of our projects have been completed within the given time
limit,” RMC Commissioner Ajay Bhadoo said, addressing a meeting of
representatives of municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
and Orissa. The meeting marked the beginning of a two-day exposure visit
of Rajkot by eight civic officials from the three states. They included
civic officials from Lucknow, Kanpur, Asansol and Bhubaneshwar. The
delegates visited water treatment plant in Raiyadhar, sewage treatment
plant in Raiya and call centre in west zone office of the RMC.

The tour, called Peer Experience and Reflective Learning (PEARL),
is organised by National Institute of Urban Affairs, a premier urban
research body based in New Delhi. PEARL is an initiative under JNNURM to
“support cities to actively pursue activities in implementation of
projects and reforms”.

Chirag Pandya, head of JNNURM Cell of RMC, said Rajkot was
selected for the tour due to its good record in implementing JNNURM
projects. In a presentation, Pandya said the city was awarded 11
projects worth Rs 804 crore so far. These included housing projects (Rs
193 crore) for economically weaker section (EWS) and two projects each
for water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, and road and
transport.

Of the total funds received under JNNURM, 33 per cent were being
spent on sewage projects, 24 per cent on housing and 20 per cent on
water supply. The remaining 17 per cent were allocated for road and
transport and six per cent for solid waste management, he said.

Pandya said RMC had completed majority of JNNURM projects of
urban infrastructure and governance. The civic body has completed water
supply projects worth Rs 83 crore. BRTS phase-I, completed at the cost
of Rs 164 crore, is the highlight of the JNNURM projects while a railway
over-bridge, built at the cost of Rs 51 crore, has also been thrown
open to the public, he said. The drainage and solid waste management
projects are also nearing completion.

As part of projects for basic services to urban poor, the RMC has built
4,976 dwelling units for EWS in phase I and II. However, 3,688 units,
including all the 2,624 of phase II, are still under construction.