Smart Kakinada project stagnates despite funding
By : Vadrevu Srinivas
Update: 2024-11-03 22:53 GMT
Kakinada: The Kakinada Smart City Project launched in 2015 with a big bang has not yielded the desired results even after nearly a decade. One can see the promised “smartness” nowhere in the port city, even after crores of rupees have been spent on the project.
Government of India launched Smart Cities mission aimed at creating sustainable and inclusive cities, with core infrastructure that provides a decent quality of life to its citizens, apart from a clean and sustainable environment.
During its smart city campaign, the government underlined that Kakinada will be developed at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore through development of infrastructure, roads, drainage, drinking water, parking places, parks, schools, hospitals and businesses.
During its smart city campaign, the government underlined that Kakinada will be developed at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore through development of infrastructure, roads, drainage, drinking water, parking places, parks, schools, hospitals and businesses.
However, so far, the Central government has sanctioned Rs 490 crore out of which Rs 481.88 crore have been released. The state government had to release Rs 488 crore of its share, but it has provided only Rs 301.70 crore.
Utilising the available funds, the Kakinada Smart City Corporation Limited, floated in 2016, took up smart city works. Civil engineering expert and Bharatiya Janata Party Kakinada Urban convener G. Satyanarayana says the state government led by Telugu Desam or YSRC, Kakinada Municipal Corporation and Kakinada Smart City Corporation have totally failed in utilising funds for developing Kakinada as Smart City.
“There is no proper drainage plan or proper infrastructure in the city. Smart city funds have been spent on only laying roads on existing roads. Officials are unable to supply quality drinking water. Effluent treatment, sewage treatment and solid waste management plans had been the components of the Smart City concept. But these have not been fulfilled,” Satyanarayana pointed out.
Citizens’ Initiative secretary D. Subrahmanyam said that due to malfunctioning of CCTV cameras, police are unable to detect chain snatchers, vehicle thieves and others. Quality of road works has not been ensured. He suggested that the central government probe the Smart City works.
Officials said they have recently laid stone for establishment of a bio-methane unit using the city’s wet waste. They said after release of funds, several Smart City works can be initiated.