Smart cities: Centre sore at laggard' states
It asked the two governments to ensure the works start by this November.
Hyderabad: Miffed over the delay in implementation of the Smart Cities project in the two Telugus states, the Centre has written to the governments of TS and AP, asking them to expedite works to meet the deadlines. It asked the two governments to ensure the works start by this November.
Warangal and Karimnagar have been shortlisted for the smart cities project in TS, while Vizag and Kakinada have been selected in AP. These smart cities were announced in January-September 2016.
Durga Shanker Mishra, secretary (housing and urban affairs), wrote to the Chief Secretaries of the two states in this regard.
He asked the states to focus on early implementation of smart city projects that have a visible and transformative impact in the lives of citizens in the identified smart cities.
Mr Mishra said that the Centre has identified devopment projects worth '32,000 crore to be taken up under the PPP mode so far across the country, while another 261 projects worth '31,000 crore that will have an impact on people’s lives were approved.
The Centre asked TS and AP to take up a few of these projects in the first phase by November.
Under impactful projects category, AP has been asked to take up works pertaining to beach redevelopment and shore protection in Vizag at a cost of Rs 365 crore.
Similarly, it was asked to start space development along the canal between Indrapalem lock and Jagannaickpur old bridge besides development of eateries.