Thiruvananthapuram: None of the 28 government institutions, who were approached by Smart Thiruvananthapuram Private Limited (STPL), with the proposal for setting up solar panels, has written back.
This has surprised the officials handling the smart city project, as they were primarily discussing a financial model in which STPL would entirely bear the initial capital.
Several financial models were discussed during a meeting held in August. Some proposed that the institutions have to bear a small share of the cost of installation.
But, since most institution representatives were not keen on that model, the zero-capital model was favoured.
Zero-capital doesn't mean zero-cost. The companies will have to pay a certain percentage of the savings they make in electricity bills to the smart city.
Smart Thiruvananthapuram Private Limited will, in turn, ensure the maintenance of the solar panels, according to an official. Sources say that most representatives speaking for their institutions were not its senior-most officials and could not take a decision.
However, now several weeks have passed, but the institutions have not responded to the proposal. It is learnt that STPL CEO M. Beena has written to the companies. An official said that if by September 5, no one responds, they would request mayor V. K. Prasanth to write to the companies.
