TN has one year and miles to go before it turns cities smart Smart city

Four years after the mission was started, Vellore has reached execution level for only one project. “Of the around Rs 800 crore worth estimates forwarded, sanction was received only for Rs 228 crore,” said Vellore Corporation Commissioner C Sivasubramanian.

Some of the projects envisaged are a new high-tech bus stand (Rs 46 crore), beautification of the historic Vellore fort (Rs 33 crore), multilevel car parks in three locations (Rs 38 crore), rebuilding Nethaji market, solar park at Virudampattu (Rs 13 crore), beautification of parks (Rs 30 crore), raising the quality of 30 government schools on a par with private schools, provision of own buildings for 72 anganwadis, and extension of storm water drains to uncovered city wards.

Extension of the storm water drain work at CMC colony resulted in main supply lines being damaged, leaving households without water for days. As each street was under a different contractor, residents’ demand that the contractor should repair pipe damage led to the buck being passed between the Corporation zonal office, main office and PWD.

Similarly, though a multilevel bus stand was planned, it was given up as tests revealed that the soil would not withstand the building’s weight as the bus terminus is located on the Palar’s banks. Multilevel car parking is planned near the old and new bus stands, and near the new fish market. But locals are questioning the rationale in putting up a car park there when the area is congested with auto spare parts shops and parked tourist vans.

The only Smart City work which has started is related to the Vellore fort. The work is already under way for a civic centre, sound and light show, and tourist information centre inside the complex, while the southern side of the moat is being desilted and accumulated weed growth being removed to ensure that water surrounds the facility on all four sides.

On the anvil are plans to create a smart walker’s track around the fort with all overhead lines being moved underground. It is also planned to provide a facelift to the Otteri lake – once the town’s drinking water source – at an estimated Rs 8 crore. As the lake is now encroached upon, it remains to be seen whether the local body has the political will to remove encroachers.

— Tharian Mathew

four years after the Uniongovernment unveiled the Smart City Mission, not even a single city among the 12 that were selected for the project in Tamil Nadu have been completed. The mission was kicked off on June 25, 2015.

Apart from Chennai, the state government had chosed city Corporations such as Tiruchy, Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Thanjavur, Tirupur, Salem, Vellore, Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode and Thoothukudi have been selected for the Smart City Mission. As per the plan, each city has been sanctionedRs 1,000 crore, of which the Centrewould provide Rs 500 crore, while the state would provide the rest.

Even though the period to complete the mission was fixed at five years, none of the 12 cities in the state has completed their projects.

In Chennai, 40 projects worth Rs 947.35 crore were undertaken, but the Greater Chennai Corporation has only completed only nine worth Rs 25.73 crore. These include the development of ‘Namma Chennai’ mobile application, 28 smart classes in Chennai Corporation schools, traffic park, sensory park and vertical garden.

Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said, “Work is under way for the 22 projects worth Rs 491.86 crore, and we are preparing tenders for four projects worth Rs 191.90 crore.”

He added that major projects taken up under the mission includes geographic information system (GIS) of all the properties in the city using drones, pedestrian plaza and multilevel parking in T Nagar, converting Villivakkam lake into recreational spot, and cycle sharing. 24x7 piped water supply toT Nagar area and smart electricity meter to residents have been given to Metrowater and Tangedco, but both are yet to gather pace. The Centre has already released Rs 196 crore to Chennai Corporation and the state has also released its share.

— Rudhran Barasu

At Thanjavur Corporation, projects worthRs 903.78 crore are under way. Besides improving infrastructure, Thanjavur old town will be developed into a smart city. Works to be taken up include improving underground drainage at a cost of Rs 93.68 crore, renovating Rajappa park and clock tower in it for Rs 4 crore, Sivaganga park for Rs 8.10 crore, old bus stand at a cost of Rs 14.88 crore, Thiruvaiyaru bus stand (from where buses proceeding to Thiruvaiyaru start) for Rs 13.85 crore, placing solar panels on government buildings at a cost of Rs 2.21 crore, improving Kamaraj market at a cost of Rs 17.47 crore, Serfoji market at a cost of Rs 14.59 crore, among others. All the works are expected to be completed by 2021.

— SJ Michael Collins