Visakhapatnam, Kakinada smart in AP

Visakhapatnam: The infrastructure of Vizag will get a major facelift as the city has made it into the list of first 20 urban areas that would be developed as Smart Cities. The Union government had released the list on Thursday, following a detailed scrutiny of the 97 cities’ credibility and do-ability, which had submitted their proposals in December 2015. After consulting various focus groups of Vizag city as well as eliciting opinions from about five lakh people, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has drafted the retrofit area development plan.

Speaking to this correspondent, Panchayat Raj minister Ayyanna Patrudu congratulated the GVMC officials for the success. Vizag city is soon going to join other elite cities in the world, he added. The Smart City proposals being prepared by GVMC at an estimated cost of about Rs 2,500 crore primarily focused on IT component, e-governance and infrastructural development. These include pollution sensors, foot overbridges, wastewater treatment plant, efficient urban mobility, public bike sharing, smart traffic signals, e-rickshaws, 24x7 water and electricity supply, etc.

Speaking to this correspondent, a GVMC senior official informed that it is the contribution of Vizagites, officials and other key stakeholders which made Vizag enter into the premier league of cities. “I also want to thank both the Union government as well as state government for their support,” he added. With the announcement in the evening, a sense of jubilation erupted in Vizag city and its citizens.

Vice-president of the Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, “Vizag making it into the Smart Cities’ list is a culmination of the dedicated work of many employees, citizens, RWAs, students, media and the state government. We hope this is the new beginning for our wonderful city.” The representatives of the consortium IBM and AECOM had prepared a strategic Smart City plan after identifying the Vizagites’ priorities and expectations, retrofit area development features and city's key performance indicators, gaps, smartness of solutions and potential for improvement. About 1435 acres near RK beach area would be developed under Smart City. "This strategy can be completed in a shorter time frame, and can lead to its replication in other parts of the city," a GVMC official added.

Kakinada touches new heights:

The fate of Kakinada known as Pensioners’ Paradise will again touch the new heights as it has been declared one of the Smart Cities in the country. Kakinada once enjoyed the highest attention when it was under the rule of British as well as neighbouring French (Yanam) and it is described as Second Madras due to its planning. But for the past 20 years, the glory has taken a beating due to increase of traffic movement, population and other problems and also meagre funds. With the announcement declaring Kakinada as one of the Smart Cities in the country, the officials expect that nearly Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 crore funds would be released for its development in the next five years.

The officials stated in their project report for the Smart City, that they expect nearly Rs 1,993.30 crore revenue to the city from the people in different accounts. The officials and experts are hoping that Kakinada will become another biggest centre for commercial as well as other activities on par with Amaravati in view of its rich commercial activities such as Oil Explorations, Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ), Coastal Corridor from Visakhapatnam to Chennai through Kakinada, National Highway from Ongole to Kathipudi (East Godavari) and others.

“The officials, experts, people of Kakinada and others have strived for getting Smart City by giving their suggestions by the time of preparing the project report. There is an urgent need for underground drainage. It can become to a reality,” said the district collector H. Arunkumar. He said Kakinada Port, Kakinada Beach, Kakinada Region and others would be developed speedily. In the project report of Smart City, the officials have chosen 850 acre for Area Based Development to create facilities such as underground drainage,  power cable, etc drinking water supply around the clock, multi-purpose parking places, shopping complexes, convention halls and also three over bridges, development of three roads and others. "All the people rendered their support for getting Smart City choice from the Union Government," said KMC Commissioner S.Aleem Basha. The Kakinada Rate Payers Association president Y.D. Ramarao said that all the officials and the people such youth, experts, senior citizens, women and others should come forward to develop Kakinada as Smart City. The KMC Commissioner S.Govinda Swamy said that a special purpose vehicle would be set up for taking the projects.