The Times of India       01.02.2011

VADODARA: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) commissioner has proposed a vision document for the city titled 'Vadodara 2030'. The proposed document will look into the needs of the city till 2030 and will suggest a path to reach there.

An announcement regarding the vision document was made in the draft budget proposed by VMC commissioner M K Das. The draft budget has proposed that a consultant should be roped in to prepare the document.

Das said the need for vision document was felt in the wake of a study by McKinsey and Company that had revealed that the population of the city would reach 42 lakh by 2030 from the present 18 lakh. Vadodara is expected to become the 13th largest city in the country and the third largest in state.

Das said the report suggests that the city would be one of the fastest growing cities and third in the country in terms of per capita income after Bangalore and Delhi. "The corporation will have to brace itself up with this kind of development," he said.

Das pointed out that city's growth will be fuelled by factors that it was on the dedicated freight corridor and on the Mumbai Expressway. "It will be at a great advantage," he said.

The document will look into the issues like traffic management, pollution control, making the city slum free, taking a citizen friendly approach and improving environment. "It will also look into the financial position of the civic body and the steps required to take care of the financial needs in the future," Das said.