KOCHI: Even as Thiruvananthapuram has just been selected for the Union government’s Rs 1,000 crore Smart City Mission programme, Kochi which was announced as a Smart City two years ago in 2015 lags way behind in planning and implementation. Despite the formation of the special purpose vehicle, Cochin Smart Mission Limited with Kochi Metro Rail Limited managing director Elias George as full time CEO in 2016, the implementation of the Smart City programme has been delayed for a few reasons.
The state government is yet to take a final call on the appointment of project management consultant which is crucial as it will help to design, develop, manage and implement the Smart City programme. Recruitment of the staff for project implementation also has been delayed. Though the expenditure committee of the state government had submitted its recommendations on appointing a project management consultant in December, 2016, no decision has been taken on it.
“Only a General Manager has been appointed for the implementation of the programme,” said sources at Kochi Metro Rail Limited which is entrusted with recruitment of staff. Some of the works included in the Smart City are construction of a walkway along Hospital Road and the proposed master control room for the integration of urban transport under Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA).
Meanwhile, there are widespread apprehensions over the delay in initiating the projects. “It is a fact that Kochi lags behind other cities in the implementation of the Smart City. Other cities selected for the Smart City programme like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Kakinada, Bhagalpur and Pune have already started area-based development projects and other services and are far ahead in project implementation,” said a top civic official.
