Thiruvananthapuram: Smart road plans await PWD nod

Thiruvananthapuram: The ambitious Smart Road project under the Smart City initiative continues to be in the back burner with the city corporation failing to get the consents from various departments to take the project to the next level.  

The Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) is yet to finalise the detailed project report of the Rs 650 crore worth Smart Road Project because of the delay in getting nod from the Public Works Department and Kerala Road Fund Board.

The project aims at upgradation of city roads into smart roads by providing state-of-the-art amenities for pedestrians, cyclists, seating area, bus bays, utility ducts etc.  Mayor V.K. Prasanth told DC that the civic body is yet to get the nod from the PWD, KRFB.

 “Several discussions were held in this regard as the majority of the 72 km stretch identified for the project belong to PWD and KRFB. We have failed to get consent from them yet. We have given a letter to the PWD Minister, LSGD minister to intervene to expedite the procedures,” said the Mayor.

He said that cycle tracks would be demarcated where ever possible. “Recently a meeting was held with the KSEB, KWA for shifting the utility lines. This is a huge project and without the cooperation of all these agencies, the project will not reach anywhere. We have asked these agencies to submit the estimates for shifting the lines. We would be sanctioning funds for the purpose,” said the Mayor. The civic body owns 29 km road selected for the smart road project.

“We are in the process of finalising the project to upgrade corporation owned roads immediately. We are hoping to tender the work by next month,” said the Mayor.

According to officials, the DPR of the project will not be ready without getting the consent of all stakeholder agencies. “There should be connectivity between the roads taken up under the Smart Road project. Most of the corporation roads merge with the PWD, KRFB roads,” said the official.