KAKINADA: Despite the funds being made available, work on the Kakinada Smart City project has been moving at a slow pace. Kakinada Smart City Limited and Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) are being criticised for the work with allegation that there is no proper coordination between the Smart City and KMC officials.
According to sources, Kakinada was selected as a city to be developed as Smart City in first phase of the Smart City Challenge. Various initiatives for area-based development and pan-city solutions worth about Rs 1993 crore in Kakinada had been proposed under the Smart City Mission. In order to assist rapid growth on the proposals, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) has been created in the name of Kakinada Smart City Corporation Limited (KSCCL).
This would help in planning, appraising, approving and releasing funds while ensuring the implementation of the works. It would assist to manage, operate, monitor and evaluate the Smart City development projects.
However, even after 15 months, many of the major projects like establishing command and control center, fixing solar roof-top PV panels , developing piped gas network (Bhagya Nagar Gas Limited), establishing parks and upgrading schools have not materialised till now. “Major projects have not been completed till now. Unless Smart City produces the utilisation certificates to the central government on time, further funds may not be released. The KMC Commissioner should pay attention on Smart City and coordinate the departments of KMC and Smart City,” said the People's Voice Convener Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju. The Vydyanagar Welfare Association former Secretary A.P.J. Vinu said that the Telugu Desam government may start the major works before elections to lure votes from the people. Till then, the works may not be completed due to political stunts.
However, the Smart City officials said that there has been progress like in E-Pathasala in two schools with seven class rooms on pilot project, individual household toilets under Swachch Bharat Mission, construction of bridge on East Yeleru Drain at Indrapalem lock, distribution of modern eateries, procurement of E-rickshaws and others worth of Rs 5 crore.
The KMC Commissioner S. Aleem Basha said that work on piped gas through BGL has been expedited. Within a year more than 2,000 connections would be given to households while more than 10,000 registrations have been made. He said that Smart City works should be done based on Central government norms. It is important to invite global tenders for works that may lead to some delay. “We plant to complete most of the projects soon,” Mr Basha said.
