The recently inaugurated Smart Cities Mission projects such as the multilevel parking facilities on W.B. Road, light and sound show at the Teppakulam of Sri Thayumanaswamy temple are yet to be thrown open to the public
Despite taking up several projects to transform the city, the Tiruchi City Corporation has been lacking the pace to complete them. Most of the projects are running behind schedule and the others have failed to yield the desired outcome.
The civic body continues to face challenges in commissioning the modern bins installed in public places in the city because of delay in procuring specialised vehicles to unload the bins. The project was proposed in February 2021 to install around 175 bins across the city and procure five specialised trucks with cranes and bin-emptying mechanisms for ₹14 crore under the Smart City Mission.
In November 2022, around 40 semi-underground garbage bins were installed outside the banana market, G. Corner and Viragupettai areas. The non-availability of specialised vehicles has led to the failure of the project, and the already installed modern bins remain idle.
The poor implementation of the quick response (QR) code-based grievance redress platform has led to the failure of the project as only a section of residents received the codes. The initiative was taken up at a cost of ₹1 crore.
The civic body’s project to improve the infrastructure at the central bus stand by constructing new buildings, which could house government offices at an estimate of ₹1 crore, is yet to take off. Preparation of the Detailed Project Report for the 200-acre Olympic Academy at Panjapur is under way. The proposal was mooted in December 2022.
Some of the roadworks, including the widening of the Wireless Road and Rajaram Road, proposed in 2022, were delayed due to funds crunch. Recently, the Corporation has taken up the work utilising the 15th Finance Commission’s funds. The roads will be widened and relaid with a median at ₹10.8 crore.
The construction of the air-conditioned commercial complex at Puthur is progressing at a snail’s pace. The project has been dragging on beyond the scheduled completion date of December 2022. The complex is being constructed at a cost of ₹20 crore under the Smart Cities Mission.
Efforts to clear encroachments and remove abandoned vehicles on roads and walkways hindering vehicular and pedestrian movement have lost steam as most of the encroachers return within a day of the drive.
The recently inaugurated Smart Cities Mission projects such as the multilevel parking facilities on West Boulevard (WB) Road and Kaliamman Kovil Street, light and sound show at the Teppakulam of Sri Thayumanaswamy temple, mini vegetable market on East Boulevard Road, Heritage Park on Butterworth Road, renovated fish market at Gandhi market, knowledge centres at Cantonment and Palakkarai are yet to be thrown open to the public. These projects were delayed beyond the deadline because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Corporation has missed deadlines for underground drainage and road development works in the city.
N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist, said: “Although the civic body has taken up many infrastructure projects, most of them are yet to be commissioned. The authorities should consider completing the ongoing projects before undertaking a new project.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ancy Donal Madonna
Quelle/Source: The Hindu, 30.12.2023
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