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Smart City projects set to take shape

Friday, 26 May 2017 10:02 administrator

The Hindu 25.05.2017

Smart City projects set to take shape

This year, Chennai will spend around Rs. 100 crore to give itself a makeover

Two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Smart Cities Mission, its implementation is likely to kick off in the city. Key smart city projects are likely to be cleared for administrative sanction by the Board of Directors of Chennai Smart City Ltd. on Wednesday, said sources in the Chennai Corporation.

Wednesday’s meeting will be the fourth board meeting of Chennai Smart City Ltd. The previous three meetings did not clear any proposal. Slated to cost Rs. 85 crore, the key projects to be cleared include constructing a new multi-level car parking facility, redevelopment of eight parks, redesigning of 23 roads, and development of a pedestrian plaza.

“Other important projects such as a traffic management system and phase 2 and 3 of the Pedestrian Plaza in T.Nagar will be implemented later. A detailed project report for many of the projects will be ready soon,” said an official.

Challenges

Challenges to the implementation of Smart City Mission projects include opposition from traders in T.Nagar, hurdles in revision of parking charges for the city, implementation of Metro Rail project, lack of interest among other stakeholders in the private sector to support the projects, inadequate funding for smart city proposals and resettlement of hawkers.

This year Chennai is likely to spend only around Rs. 100 crore for projects under the Smart City Mission.

The multi-level car parking can accommodate 230 cars and 550 two-wheelers, but there is a hitch. The corporation can’t collect charges for motorcycles, as per an existing government order. It can collect only Rs. 5 per hour for cars. This makes operation and maintenance of the multi-level parking facility an expensive proposition. The government has to revise the parking fee, an official said, adding that this would be discussed in the board meeting. Work on redevelopment of Panagal Park has been shelved due to the Metro Rail project in the area and civic officials expect a few other proposals in the city to be hit by subsequent phases of the Metro Rail.

41 projects

Officials say that at least 41 Smart City projects are expected to be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,300 crore in the city in the years to come. But implementation of many of these projects including 24x7 supply of water in T.Nagar is likely to be a challenge as a number of unauthorised buildings dot the city’s commercial district, officials say.

GHMC’s new circles to be established by June 1

Friday, 26 May 2017 09:38 administrator

The Hindu 26.05.2017

GHMC’s new circles to be established by June 1

Decentralising power:Administrative building of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.FILE PHOTO

There will be one circle officer per 2.65 lakh population

Months after the reorganisation of circles in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Administration (GHMC) was formally approved by the State Government, the new circles will finally be established by June 1.

Based on the recommendations of an expert committee taking the 2011 census figures into consideration, a proposal was submitted to the GHMC’s Standing Committee to approve increasing the circles from 18 to 30 last year. The Standing Committee had cleared the proposal and sent it to the State Government which approved it.

The GHMC has finally issued orders instructing the higher officials to establish the new circle offices. The revised administrative structure will be at the rate of one circle officer per 2.65 lakhs. In erstwhile MCH area comprising of 15 circle offices and there used to be one circle officer per 2.25 lakhs. Zonal offices will also be reorganised at the rate of one office for every six new circle offices to be established. The 30 circles are Kapra, Uppal, Hayathnagar, L.B. Nagar, Saroornagar, Malakpet, Santhoshnagar, Chandrayangutta, Charminar, Falaknuma, Rajendranagar, Mehdipatnam, Karwan, Goshamahal, Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairathabad, Jubilee Hills, Yousufguda, Serilingampally, Chandanagar, Patancheruvu, Moosapet, Kukatpally, Qutbullapur, Gajularamaram, Alwal, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad and Begumpet.

The Zonal Commissioners of the five zones were asked to ensure that the new circles start functioning by June 2 in the newly designated places.

Zonal offices will also be reorganised at the rate of one office for every six new circle offices to be established.

Segregated waste collection from June 5

Friday, 26 May 2017 07:17 administrator

The Hindu 26.05.2017

Segregated waste collection from June 5

Change in method:A file photo of a worker engaged in segregating waste.

Plastic bags to be supplied to residents for doing it

The VMC will begin collecting segregated garbage from households from June 5 in the city.

Municipal Commissioner J. Nivas, who inspected door-to-door garbage collection in the 54th division of the city on Thursday, asked the authorities to make arrangements for collecting wet garbage and dry garbage separately from the households.

He directed them to replace the two-colour dustbin system with plastic bags and supply the bags to residents so that garbage is segregated at the beginning stage in the households.

Mr. Nivas also said NGOs must be roped in to create awareness among the civic staff and the public regarding segregation of the waste on a daily basis.

Vermicomposting

to be revived

He also told them to revive vermicomposting plants located at various areas and make use of them.

He asked the sanitation staff to collect the wet garbage, which would be largely generated at rythu bazaars and residential colonies, and dump it at the composting pits.

Though the VMC had made attempts to collect dry and wet garbage separately, non-cooperation of the public and lack of awareness among sanitation workers had failed the initiative.

Mr. Nivas also inspected the LBS Stadium in Ajith Singh Nagar. On finding the stadium in a poor condition, he asked the sports wing authorities to take up repair work and make the stadium useful for people.

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