Six years on, Smart City projects in Amritsar in limbo
Charanjit Singh Teja
Amritsar, July 20
Even after over six years of the launching of the ‘Smart City Mission’ by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, no significant project has seen the light of day in the city so far.
The Centre had chosen the holy city under the Smart City project on September 20, 2016. Major announcements related to multi-core projects were made during all these years.
One of the major projects announced under the programme is work on the redevelopment of the outer circular road as a smart road. As per the government’s announcement during the inauguration of the Rs 118.65-crore project, it is supposed to be completed within 28 months i.e. till January 2023.
The construction work on 7.4-km outer ring road was inaugurated by then Cabinet Minister OP Soni on September 18, 2020. During the past 22 months, the condition of the outer ring road has not improved much.
Amritsar Smart City Limited had proposed 1.8m-wide cycle tracks would be constructed on both the sides of the road. Lights would be installed on roadsides and a parking lot would also be established to facilitate travellers and streamline the traffic. There is no sign of these facilities to date.
The project is one of the major initiatives taken under the Smart City Mission and under it, desilting of sewerage would also be done, along with laying of new sewage lines as per requirements. All electricity wires and other cables would be taken underground, eliminating the need of digging for lying cable lines in future. Besides, all electricity poles and transformers would also be removed and replaced with new compact substations.
Footpaths for pedestrians, parking facilities for cycle rickshaws and auto-rickshaws would also be set up. Landscaping would be done for beautification of the road, along with installation of street furniture, establishment of green belt, bus stop shelters, lights, sign board and digital advertising boards.
New street vendor zones would also be provided to vendors where they can put up stalls without encroaching upon footpaths.
Post-construction, the respective firm would handle the maintenance work for the next five years.
Multi-crore projects lying incomplete
- The Centre had chosen the holy city under the Smart City project on September 20, 2016. Major announcements related to multi-core projects were made during all these years
- One of the major projects announced under the programme is work on the redevelopment of the outer circular road as a smart road. As per the government’s announcement during the inauguration of the Rs 118.65-crore project, it is supposed to be completed within 28 months i.e. till January 2023
- The construction work on 7.4-km outer ring road was inaugurated by then Cabinet Minister OP Soni on September 18, 2020. During the past 22 months, the condition of the outer ring road has not improved much
