Rs 700 crore to develop Eluru as smart city

Rajahmundry: Eluru town to be developed as a smart city at a cost of Rs 700 crore and the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed Siemens consortium to work out financial model to support the project with the state government's financial advisor Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services.

The Siemens consortium has identified five packages with technology interventions to improve the quality of life by providing a series of amenities.       The first work package is sewage management to be taken up at a cost of Rs 308 crore. Under the package, an underground drainage system and sewage treatment plant will be developed.

The existing underground drainage system which was built wayback in 1960 turned defunct. Second package includes water management to be taken up at a cost of Rs 31 crore.

The civic authorities intend to ensure supply of potable water 24x7 in the city.
The upcoming smart city is having two major sources of water from Godavari and Krishna rivers.

A summer storage tank spread over in 110 acres land stores water from Godavari river while another such tank spread in 35 acres land stores water from Krishna river.

The authorities intend to streamline pipeline network and supply system.
Under third package, storm water drainage system to be taken up at a cost of Rs 200 crore and the entire drainage network will be upgraded to avoid any flooding of the city even in case of heavy rainfall and overflowing of canals and drains.

With fourth package of renewable energy to be taken up at a cost of '4.50 crore, the authorities are paying attention to avail solar power to meet the energy needs of the city.

The fifth package of Intelligent Traffic Management Systems and Surveillance to be taken up at a cost of Rs 23 crore, plans are being worked to ensure smooth passage of vehicular traffic on main thoroughfares in the upcoming smart city and electronic surveillance will be installed at all strategic locations for regulation of vehicular traffic.

The last package of electricity and smart grid to be taken up at a cost of Rs 130 crore, authorities intend to ensure supply of quality power 24x7. Unlike the conventional power transformers which used to occupy a major place, the authorities intend to replace them with smart ones which occupy relatively less space.

Underground power cables will be laid along six major roads to avoid overhead power transmission lines crisscrossing the streets and getting snapped and falling on the ground causing electric shock to the people especially in case of heavy gales and rainfall. The civic authorities have already identified all the six roads.

Eluru municipal commissioner Y. Sai Srikanth said, “We are expecting the works on developing the smart city to begin in November once the finance model is worked out by Siements consortium with IL and FS.”